China Tells Tourists to Behave in Antarctica

That tourism is booming in the Antarctic region should come as a surprise to no one. Increased media attention and new cruise offerings have made the southern-most travel destination in the world a hot ticket.

Travel to Antarctica has increased by more than 1,000 percent since the 1980s. In 2015, TravelPulse’s Donald Wood reported that some 37,000 visitors traveled to Antarctica in 2014. By 2016, that number had skyrocketed to 45,000 visitors, according to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO.)

While Americans make up about one-third of all visitors, Chinese travelers have become the second-largest group to visit the continent, outpacing number three market, Australia, for the first time last year. Germany, the U.K. and Canada, respectively, round out the top six feeder markets to the region.

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The increase in Chinese travelers to the region has been so dramatic, the Chinese government has set forth guidelines governing Chinese traveler behavior when visiting the area. Among the new rules, Chinese citizens are prohibited from hunting, entering special conservation areas, removing geological items like rocks and soil, and introducing foreign objects such as trash and solid waste.

They are also prohibited from touching or feeding the penguins.

Not following the rules could result in being blacklisted from visiting the area for up to three years, according to the South China Morning Post.

The new guidelines, formally announced earlier this week, have been in the works since September when China realized it was one of just four signatory nations of the Antarctic Treaty that hadn’t set into place specific regulations governing acceptable behaviors in the region.

In 1959, when the Antarctic Treaty was first created and signed by 12 nations, only a handful of visitors—mostly scientists—traveled to the southerly region so regulating travel behavior was a non-issue. Today, the treaty, which identifies Antarctica as "a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science,” has nearly 50 signatories. Member nations come together once a year at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) to discuss tourism to Antarctica and how to preserve the region’s eco-system.

READ MORE: 20 Reasons to Travel to Antarctica in 2018 and 2019

According to the SCMP, China will establish inspectors in the region to ensure visitors and tour operators remain in accordance with the new regulations.