Arctic tourism gives rise to debate with melting sea ice

Friday, January 25, 2019

It’s a known fact that tourists are drawn to the region around the North Pole due to its glaciers and northern lights. With melting sea ice making the icy north more accessible to ships, tourism has the potential to increase.

This has increased concerns over how arctic cities and communities would cope with an influx of tourists, and the impact that they would have on the environment.

Mr. Aziz Merchant, the executive director of the marine and deepwater technology division of Keppel Offshore and Marine said, “We are looking into the possibility of creating an arctic hub, a floating structure which will allow tourists to disembark and visit the Arctic while minimizing their impact on the fragile environment.”

He said that there are concerns that cities might not have the right infrastructure for supporting arctic tourism if ships were to dock on land.

“The arctic hub was a concept we put forward to show how tourists can enjoy the arctic environment and ambience without disturbing the fragile environment,” Merchant said, adding that tourism revenue could also benefit arctic communities.

However, Mr. Merchant said that plans for the arctic hub are still at a conceptual stage and that arctic tourism is still a developing area.

The opportunities and challenges created by a warming Arctic were discussed at a conference on Tuesday, with policymakers, academics and business representatives sharing their views on a range of issues, from fisheries to new sea routes.

« Back to Page

• Frozen adventure promoting sustainable Arctic tourism