In a few days time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Polar Institute are arranging a meeting of experts on tourism and non-governmental activities in Antarctica. It is no surprise that Norway is hosting the meeting - the Norwegian shipping company OVDS has in the course of two years become one of the largest operators in Antarctic waters, and from next year it will be arranging even more passenger cruises to Antarctica.

State Secretary Kim Traavik of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be giving the opening speech at the meeting, which will be focusing mainly on tourism. The growth in tourism means that better regulation and stricter guidelines are needed in order to protect both the tourists themselves and the vulnerable Antarctic environment. A great deal of scientific research is also carried out in Antarctica. This is another factor that must be taken into account in the development of polar tourism, and one of the topics at the meeting will be how to involve the tourist industry in drawing up guidelines for future activities. The possibility of co-operation on environmental monitoring in Antarctica to provide a better basis for evaluating the impact of tourism on the environment will also be discussed.

Other topics of discussion include maritime safety (cruise ships and other shipping), safety in connection with private expeditions and extreme tourism, and a technical assessment of the shipping legislation for Antarctica. Norway has a good deal of experience in managing tourism in Svalbard, and will present a paper on experience and lessons learned from Svalbard. Several of the cruise line operate both in the Antarctic and in the Arctic.

Norway has become a major player in the Antarctic tourism market, and 20 per cent of all passengers who go ashore in Antarctica are travelling on Norwegian vessels. Norway’s market share is rising. Tourism in Antarctica has grown rapidly, and about 17 000 people a year now travel to the continent. Most of them arrive on cruise ships and take trips ashore.

The meeting is being held in accordance with a decision made at last year’s Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ACTM XXVI). It will start at the Polar Environmental Centre in Tromsø and continue on board the Coastal Express steamer M/S Finnmarken. The participants are experts and representatives of the public authorities from 25 countries that are involved in Antarctica.

Notes for editors:

This is a closed meeting, but the press will be able to attend the opening speech by Mr Traavik at the Polar Environmental Centre on Monday 22 March at 09.00-09.15 if the participants agree. A press briefing will be held at the Centre at 13.30 on the same day, and there may be opportunities for individual interviews with the Norwegian delegation and leaders of delegations from other countries. Contact Head of Information G.S. Jaklin at the Norwegian Polar Institute for accreditation. Tel. + 47 77 75 05 00, fax + 47 77 75 05 01, email jaklin@npolar.no, mobile phone + 47 951 04 045.