Antarctica: Tourism

(asked on 17th January 2022) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, as a signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, what assessment they have made of the practice of charter flights carrying tourists to the Antarctic.


This question was answered on 31st January 2022

Tourism is discussed annually at Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM) and the UK engages actively to ensure all activities are conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Within the Antarctic Treaty System, all activities in Antarctica must be undertaken in accordance with the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which requires environmental impact assessments (EIA) and pre-planning to ensure activities are conducted so as to limit adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment. At its meeting in June 2021, the ATCM adopted a revised Resolution on Air Safety in Antarctica, which covers governmental and non-governmental air operations. The UK implements the Environmental Protocol and other obligations under the Antarctic Treaty System through the Antarctic Act 1994 (as amended by the Antarctic Act 2013), which generally requires British expeditions, ships and aircraft to obtain a permit from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, prior to entry into Antarctica.

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