Annual Tourists by Country ('98) Arctic Alaska 40,000 Canada 250,000 Greenland 10,000 Iceland 150,000 Northern Scandinavia 600,000 Svalbard Archipelago 35,000 Russian Federation (estimate) 30,000 Did you know? Both world wars contributed to the American and European tastes for Arctic travel, by exposing service personnel to the drama of the cold north. Arctic tourism provides opportunities to increase awareness of Arctic environmental issues and support for conservation, while providing a sustainable income source for northern communities. Ecotourism, the search for nature-in-the-raw, may well become the prime tourist fad of the 21st century. Arctic tourism is most threatening in Scandinavia and Svalbard, where large numbers of people need travel only short distances to easily accessible places.

Tourism in the Arctic

Tourism is a recent development for the Arctic. Visits to the far north have increased considerably during the last 15 years, with up to nearly one million tourists annually. Cruise ships are able to bring people into areas which were previously unspoiled by humans; roads probe ever deeper into once-pristine landscapes; and aircraft often fly Arctic adventurers deep into remote wilderness areas. Human waste and garbage have caused significant degradation in some areas. Human encounters with nesting birds, marine mammals, and polar bears often result in disturbance of some kind or another. In addition, there is the extreme fragility of Arctic vegetation; a footprint on the tundra or muskeg might remain for literally hundreds of years.

On the positive side, ecotourism, when well planned, can help increase awareness and lead to preservation of sensitive Arctic environments. People, today, seem more interested in seeing whales, seals and other Arctic animals in their natural environments rather than in hunting them to extinction. Few who experience the harsh beauty of the Arctic are unmoved by it, and hopefully, they will become ambassadors for its continued survival. Several organizations have developed sensible guidelines for Arctic-friendly tourism. They promote the education of tourists about the Arctic environment and its peoples; respect for the rights and cultures of Arctic residents; and increased northern community shares of tourism revenue.

This substantial growth of Arctic tourism presents both opportunities and challenges. Overall, the impacts on indigenous communities and on the Arctic environment have been somewhat controversial, with both positive and negative ramifications. As yet, there is little agreement about long term cumulative effects. As countries begin to address the inherent drawbacks associated with Arctic tourism, more specific regulation policies will be needed.