India Leads Talks on Antarctic Tourism

India is currently collaborating with other nations to promote regulated tourism in Antarctica. This initiative is in response to the increasing number of tourists visiting the White Continent, which could potentially harm its delicate ecology. The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) meeting, scheduled to take place in Kochi, Kerala, from May 20 to May 30, will focus on the crucial topic of regulating tourism in Antarctica.

M Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, stated that the tourism activities in Antarctica are not sufficiently regulated. As a result, there are discussions on regulating tourism in the region this year. The Ministry of Earth Sciences hosts the 46th ATCM meeting, Antarctica's highest governing body, and the 26th CEP meeting. Ravichandran also hinted at plans to facilitate visits to Indian research stations in Antarctica for the general public.

Ravichandran highlights the pressing need for regulation, pointing out the current challenges posed by unregulated tourism. He emphasizes that India, along with other like-minded countries, is actively working to promote regulated tourism in Antarctica. The estimated cost of travel to Antarctica for researchers, who travel onboard a ship from Goa to Cape Town in South Africa and from there to the White Continent, is a staggering Rs 1 crore per person, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

Thamban Meloth, Director of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), said India operates two active research stations in Antarctica—Maitri and Bharati—where scientists from different institutes nationwide conduct research throughout the year. Maintaining the research bases in Antarctica costs the government between Rs 150 and Rs 200 crore annually.

Ravichandran emphasized that India's research stations in Antarctica are meticulously maintained and subject to regular inspections to ensure they are kept in pristine condition. He emphasized the strict protocols for waste management, including the requirement to transport all waste, including human waste, back to the mainland.

The number of tourists visiting Antarctica has steadily increased yearly, with several thousands of visitors journeying annually, transiting through Argentina or Chile. For the 2022-23 season, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) reported 32,730 cruise-only visitors, 71,346 landed visitors and 821 deep-field visitors.

In conclusion, a central working group in the ATCM will discuss and recommend to the Antarctic Treaty that some criteria be established for tourists to fulfil when visiting Antarctica. Tourism in Antarctica began in the 1950s, with tourists hitching rides on supply ships, and the number has increased steadily over the years.