Impacts of global environmental change on tourism in the polar regions

Abstract

Local effects of global environmental change have been evidenced in both the Arctic and the Antarctic, causing changes, for example, in snow and ice conditions, in vegetation patterns and in animal behaviour. These effects are coincident with changes in opportunities for human activity by local people and visitors. Given that tourism in the polar regions has been largely dependent on scenic landscape attractions, such as snow and ice and access to wildlife populations, there is the potential for major change in this industry. This chapter describes predicted impacts of climate change in these regions and those that are already occurring. It outlines current patterns in polar tourism and identifies several challenges to the tourism industry related to infrastructure, access and attractions. The chapter describes opportunities and challenges created by the local effects of global environmental change and it concludes with the significance of such changes for tourism in the polar regions.