By Antarctic reporter Jano Gibson
Photo: 123RF
Researchers say social media is contributing to the growing popularity of tourism in Antarctica, where annual visitor numbers surged to 124,000 over the past year.
But there is concern that the "frivolous" nature of some TikTok videos is at odds with the values of the Antarctic Treaty system, and could lead to unwanted behaviours.
Antarctic Treaty nations are developing a comprehensive framework to manage the growth and diversification of tourism in the region.
At Hobart's cruise ship terminal, dozens of tourists are preparing to set off on a sub-Antarctic voyage.
"I'm about to embark on the Heritage Adventurer to go to Macquarie Island and do the 'Galápagos of the Southern Ocean,'" Jen Rodgers from Queensland said.
For her, it's a chance to get an unrivalled glimpse of the masses of wildlife that congregate on the tiny outpost, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica.
"I find it hard to describe in words, but it's magnificent if you're into nature."
Macquarie Island, which is part of Tasmania, is subject to strict environmental rules, including an annual limit of 2,000 cruise ship visitors.
But further south in Antarctica, it's a different story, where visitor numbers continue to rise sharply.
Two decades ago, fewer than 20,000 tourists made the journey to the icy continent each year.
But by 2019, the annual figure had reached about 75,000, according to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO).
Over the past year, those numbers surged to about 124,000 - 8 percent of whom were Australian.
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'Explosion' of experiences available
Associate Professor Anne Hardy leads a University of Tasmania team researching tourism in Antarctica.
She said there had been an "absolute explosion, both in terms of the numbers … and also the nature of the industry that's down there."
While Hobart acts as a launching pad for only a tiny percentage of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic tourists, most visitors head to the Antarctic Peninsula on cruise ships from South America.
Once in Antarctica, there is a smorgasbord of experiences on offer.
"Tourists can do anything they like down in Antarctica now, really," Hardy said.
"They can do marathons, they can go climbing, they can go down to the South Pole, they can go on an expedition cruise, they can go camping down there.
"And they can go on any different type of cruise … ranging from 'doof-doof' cruises through to meditation cruises, leadership cruises and even swingers' cruises."
Antarctic offerings verging on 'mass tourism'
Hardy said the situation was verging on a form of "mass tourism".
"Usually, mass tourism is characterised by large amounts of numbers, but also a really diversified industry," she said.
"The reality down in Antarctica is that the numbers aren't absolutely massive, but we see huge diversification.
"And that really worries us, because Antarctica is different to other [places]."
Antarctica is subject to a treaty that promotes peace, science and environmental protection.
The organisation that represents Antarctic tour companies, IAATO, requires its members to abide by those values, both in practice and in their promotional material.
"Members subscribe to the principle that their planned activities will have no more than a minor or transitory impact on the Antarctic environment and that their marketing … will endeavour to manage the expectations of guests", IAATO states on its website.
Hardy said tour operators and their clients generally abide by the rules, including strict biosecurity protocols and limits on the number of people that can land on shore.
"What [IAATO] wants to happen is that when people go down there, they become ambassadors for the continent."
Researchers concerned about 'risky' TikTok videos
But Hardy said social media posts by some visitors were creating perceptions at odds with the values of the Antarctic Treaty system.
This was particularly the case with TikTok, which she said had the potential to also affect behaviours.
"We're concerned because TikTok is a platform that's known for fun and frivolity and doing really good fun stuff," she said.
"And we know that it's a platform that really influences younger generations, and they are the future of tourism."
Hardy's team analysed the most popular Antarctic tourism-related hashtags on TikTok over the 2022-23 season, which together attracted more than 200 million views.
These included #AntarcticTourism and #DrakePassage, which relates to body of water between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula.
"What we're seeing in terms of the behaviour are people doing things that are really risky," Hardy said.
"[For example] sliding across the decks of ships in really rough seas with glasses of wine and trying to balance in really rough seas when they probably should be sitting down.
"Also just breaching [biosecurity] regulations down in Antarctica.
"Our concern is, if we're seeing this kind of fun, frivolous behaviour online, does that actually transfer through to things that we don't see online, like taking souvenirs home [from the Antarctic environment] and that type of thing?"
Vandalism highlights increased pressure on region
Last month, IAATO expressed shock and disappointment after an historic building on Deception Island, near the Antarctic Peninsula, was sprayed with graffiti.
"This thoughtless vandalism was not perpetrated by a visitor travelling with an IAATO member," the tourism organisation said in a statement.
"Still, together with the entire polar community, we certainly feel its impact."
Separately, conservation groups have raised concerns about other issues relating to increased human activity on the icy continent.
These include black carbon emissions from ships' diesel engines, wastewater being released into the Southern Ocean from vessels, the introduction of invasive species and the disturbance of breeding sites by visitors.
Hardy said tourism numbers in the polar region were likely to continue growing, boosted in part by TikTok and other social media platforms.
"It has a huge influence in terms of how people behave when they're on holiday and also where they go," she said.
But despite potential negative impacts, Hardy said there was merit in maintaining a sustainable tourism industry in Antarctica.
"If we give [visitors] a really amazing educational experiences down there, they will come back as advocates," she said.
"So, I do believe there is a place for tourism down there, but it has to be tourism that's really well regulated.
"And it also has to be tourism that lines up with the values of the area."
Antarctic Treaty nations are currently developing a comprehensive framework to manage the growth and diversification of tourism in Antarctica.
- This article was first published by the ABC
