Cruising for a bruising?

Dr Lück has edited and contributed to a number of books on polar tourism, most recently Cruise Tourism in Polar Regions and Polar Tourism: Human, Environmental and Governance Dimensions.

The latter describes the polar regions as some of the last wilderness places left on earth. Marketed as remote, cold, pristine, and untouched, the Arctic and Antarctic promise to offer something different to the tourist in terms of experiencing extraordinary environments.

Although polar tourism is a relatively young industry the effects of it are already being noted and written about by academics. The book also outlines concerns over the extent of social impacts of increasing tourist numbers on indigenous and local communities in the Arctic and sub-Arctic, as well as anxieties over environmental impacts from potential oil spills and accidents at sea and the disturbance to wildlife populations by the presence of large numbers of tourists walking around nesting sites and across vital habitat.

On the other hand, most visitors to the polar regions are fascinated by the beauty of the landscape, and the wildlife. They often turn into 'ambassadors' for these regions, and promote more environmentally sound travel.

Luckily there is a growing body of academic work on the polar regions and the impact of tourism there says Dr Lück.

"The chapters in this volume contribute to debates in basic and applied approaches to the study of tourism, but they speak specifically to the importance of research into the possible environmental, economic, and cultural impacts of tourism and appropriate management strategies and policies that need to be adopted if tourism in the polar regions is to develop into something that can occur in the best interests of communities, wildlife, and the environment," he says.

Professor Mark Orams from AUT used to race around the world in yachts and was part of Team New Zealand's America's Cup victory in 2000. These days the Professor at AUT University focuses his energy on protecting marine environments.

Having visited Antarctica himself as a guest of Antarctica New Zealand and scoping environmental impact research, Orams has experienced first hand the magic of Antarctica. He contributed a chapter to the book Cruise Tourism in Polar Regions.

Yacht Cruising, he suggested will increasingly continue in the polar regions. Profiles of the destinations are exact these days and technology makes the destinations ever-more available in a comfortable manner. Scenery and wildlife viewing have been the main attraction but related activities such as photography and publishing expeditions, underwater viewing and extreme adventure activities, visiting of historic sites are on the rise.

The particular impacts yachts can have on marine environments he says include the discharge of waste water which may contain materials that won't break down in cold temperatures.

Increasing numbers of superyachts with their significant technology and equipment such as helicopters, diving equipment, submarines, and personal watercraft are voyaging to the polar regions. A popular means of cruising is for private blue-water cruise sailors to join 'cruising rallies' and a polar cruising rally may be not far off in the future, he says.

The New Zealand Antarctic Institute, known as Antarctica New Zealand, was established on 1 July 1996 under the New Zealand Antarctic Institute Act 1996. It is responsible for developing, managing and executing.

New Zealand's activities in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, in particular the Ross Sea region. Antarctica New Zealand is responsible for the year-round management of Scott Base, New Zealand's permanent base in Antarctica since 1959. The Base provides services and accommodation for the many research parties and groups who visit Antarctica during the summer.

Key activities include supporting scientific research, conserving the intrinsic values of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean and raising public awareness of the international significance of the continent.