Summary:
Tourism in Antarctica and the Arctic is growing rapidly, but at what cost?
Antarctica and the Arctic are changing. Rising temperatures are reshaping polar landscapes, ecosystems and global climate systems, while retreating ice is making these regions more accessible than ever before.
In the 2023–24 season alone, more than 125,000 tourists travelled south to Antarctica, with numbers expected to continue rising as cruise tourism expands. As human presence grows, urgent questions emerge about limits, regulation and responsibility in some of the world’s most fragile environments. Can tourism ever sit comfortably alongside conservation, science and global responsibility?
Join Associate Professor Julia Olsen and Doctor Hanne Nielsen for an Island of Ideas conversation exploring polar tourism across both the Arctic and Antarctic to discover what the future may hold for these extraordinary places.
Tickets are free but essential, secure yours now to avoid missing out.
About the experts:
Associate Professor Julia Olsen, Nord University, Bodø, Norway
Julia is a visiting scholar and an environmental sociologist whose research focuses on polar governance, shipping and cruise tourism. Drawing on Arctic case studies, her work examines how tourism and vessel traffic are regulated in icy environments and where policy and industry frameworks struggle to keep pace with rapid change.
Doctor Hanne Nielsen, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania
Hanne is a Senior Lecturer in Antarctic Law and Governance at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. She specializes in representations of Antarctica and has a particular interest in the commercial history of the continent. Dr Nielsen’s current work focusses on the interactions between imagined versions of Antarctica and embodied encounters with the place in the context of Antarctic tourism and the media. She is a Chief Officer of the SCAR Standing Committee on Humanities and Social Sciences; a co-lead of the SCAR Tourism Action Group (Ant-TAG); and led Theme 7 (An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean) of the Southern Ocean Decade Action Plan.
Pre-event refreshments:
Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.
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