Antarctica attracting more visitors, many leaving from SA and South America
More people are flying to Antarctica from South African and South American shores for excursions into the continent’s icy interior. On Monday, the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) released its 2016-17 tourism figures‚ ahead of its annual meeting in Edinburgh‚ Scotland. The total number of visitors travelling to Antarctica with IAATO members was 44‚367‚ an increase of 15% on the previous year‚ the IAATO said in a statement. Most travel to the continent is seaborne. However‚ there has been an increase in deep-field travel into the interior from SA and South America of 10% over the previous year. This category accounts for only 1% of Antarctic tourism. IAATO executive committee chairperson Bob Simpson said it is important to keep travel to Antarctica sustainable. "Visiting Antarctica is a great privilege for anyone. Our goal is to provide our guests with a safe‚ enriching experience while leaving no discernible evidence of our visit," he said. "With demand ...
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