The cruise-only category is expected to drop to less than 5,000 passengers next season. THE NUMBER OF VISITORS TO ANTARCTICA decreased by 8.3 per cent in the past year, and next season will see a much larger slide, according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). IAATO yesterday...
The cruise-only category is
expected to drop to less than
5,000 passengers next season.
THE NUMBER OF VISITORS TO ANTARCTICA
decreased by 8.3 per cent in the past year,
and next season will see a much larger slide,
according to the International Association of
Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).
IAATO yesterday released its latest visitor
numbers, revealing that 33,824 passengers
travelled to the region with its memberoperators
in 2010-11, compared to 36,875
in 2009-10.
The total for 2011-12 is forecast to be less
than 26,000 – a 25 per cent decline on the
season just ended.
The anticipated drop is due to several large
ships pulling out of the region due to a new
ban on carrying heavy fuel oil, which comes
into effect in Aug.
Last season, 14,373 passengers sailed on
large ships’ cruise-only trips (500-plus
passenger ships with no landings).
IAATO projects that this cruise-only
category will drop to less than 5,000
passengers next season.
Antarctic tourism numbers have been
falling since 2007-08 when IAATO members
carried 46,265 visitors to Antarctica.
IAATO chief Steve Wellmeier attributed the
past decreases on the effects of the global
economic slowdown.
“While we expect this to continue playing a
role, there is little question that the more
significant factor in next year’s lower numbers
is the consequence of the HFO ban,” he said.
“The result will be visitor numbers overall
that mirror those of a decade ago.”
