Polar Tourism: An Environmental Perspective

by Bernard Stonehouse, John Snyder

Overview

Tourism throughout the world raises environmental issues that are often concerned with conflicting rights and responsibilities: the inherent right of mankind to travel, the no-less inherent right of indigenous people to guard their environmental heritage, and the responsibility of governments - local, national or (in the unique case of Antarctica) international - to protect environments over which they exercise stewardship. Additionally, the presence of international commercial enterprises, especially marine and other mass transport modes, represent unique governance challenges.This book deals mainly with environmental issues and the management implications arising from polar tourism, one of the fastest-growing sectors of world tourism. However, many of the issues discussed here arise no less urgently in temperate and tropical wilderness areas, and indeed in any region where sensitive environments are subjected to mass tourism. The principles and guidelines discussed here are of interest and practical use in tourism studies generally.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781845411459
Publisher:	Multilingual Matters Ltd.
Publication date:	06/07/2010
Series:	Aspects of Tourism , #43
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Dr Bernard Stonehouse has spent four winters and many summers in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments, conducting ecological and behavioural research on birds and mammals, and the impacts of man on flora, fauna and soils. His most recent research includes an 18-year study of the growth, development, environmental implications and management of Antarctic tourism.

Dr John M. Snyder gained wilderness tourism experience as an Alaska Registered Guide and has applied his environmental management knowledge to assist Arctic governments and Native People. Those experiences were then used to evaluate tourism management issues in Antarctica and South Georgia. Most recently, he was a co-lead author of the Arctic Council's 2009 Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment.

Table of Contents

Authors' Introduction vii

1 Arctic and Antarctic: Polar Regions and Environments 1

Introducing the Polar Regions 1

The Arctic Region 7

The Antarctic Region 16

Summary and Conclusions 24

2 Arctic Tourism: History and Development 25

Introduction: Unlikely Regions for Tourism 25

How Arctic Tourism Developed 26

Arctic Tourism Today 29

Summary and Conclusions 43

3 Antarctic Tourism: History and Development 44

Introduction: A Late Starter 44

Antarctic Tourism: The Beginnings 45

Antarctic Tourism Today 52

Summary and Conclusions 60

4 Tourism in Changing Polar Environments 61

Introduction: A Changing World 61

Changes due to Cosmic Events 61

Changes due to Human Activities 68

Changing Sovereignty Issues 76

Summary and Conclusions 77

5 Wilderness Tourism: Challenges and Techniques 79

Introduction: Wilderness Challenges 79

Economic Development in Polar Regions 81

Wilderness Area Management 82

Tourism Management Objectives 83

Criteria for Polar Tourism Management 84

Practicalities of Management 94

Summary and Conclusions 100

6 Managing Shipborne Tourism 101

Introduction 101

Polar Marine Incidents 102

Sources of Protective Legislation 105

Threats to Human Safety 108

Threats to the Environment 109

Guidelines for Good Practice 114

Infrastructure and Information 116

Adventure Mariners 118

Summary and Conclusions 119

7 Polar Culture and Heritage Tourism 121

Introduction 121

Arctic People and Communities 121

Arctic Culture and Heritage Resources 124

Managing Arctic Culture and Heritage Tourism 127

Antarctic Heritage Tourism 131

Managing Historic Sites for Tourism 138

Summary and Conclusions 139

8 Southern Oceans and Antarctic Tourism 141

Introduction: Regulation 141

The Oceanic Islands 141

Regulation in the Antarctic Treaty Area 150

Summary and Conclusions 164

9 Managing Polar Tourism: A Way Forward 166

Introduction: Regulation and Management 166

Diversity and Growth 167

Multiple Resource Management Planning 172

Summary and Conclusions 182

Appendix A 184

Appendix B 186

Appendix C 190

Appendix D 196

Appendix E 205

Appendix F 207

References 209

Editorial Reviews

Readers of this book embark on a stimulating journey into the world of polar tourism. With a focus on management aspects and environmental implications, the intricacies of polar tourism are discussed in an educated and thoughtful manner. Further conceptual background is provided on wilderness and cultural tourism to enable an informed assessment of the framework within which polar tourism operates. A powerful concluding chapter applies the technique of Multiple Resource Management Planning to polar tourism. This book is a valuable resource for students, academics and policy makers alike.

Daniela Liggett