Antarctica, the white continent is at the top of the dream holiday hit list of travelers. There is a huge rise in visitors with numbers reported to increase further in the future. The number has risen by 14 percent to more than 37,000 over the last season.
To discuss about the problems and find possible solutions to protect eco-system of Antarctica, a two week international consultative meeting on Antarctic Treaty took place in New Daily. It warned that proper regulation of tourism was vital to protect the fragile eco-system of Antarctica. The meeting was attended by nearly 300 delegates including scientists from 37 nations and organizations.
Various measures were proposed to protect the eco-system of Antarctica. First, it was said that the authorization to tour operators to land the ships that carry more than 500 passengers should be discouraged. It was also said that a check should be kept on tourist vessels at landing sites, there should not be more than one vessel at a time.
Environmentalists say that global warming is leading to loss of ice shelves on the continent’s coast and scientists are of the view that a boom in tourism is putting pressure on the region. Whatever be the reason, the fact is that Antarctica’s fragile eco-system is under threat.
Antarctica has opened up to tourism and it would be difficult to close the door, but operators can take a responsible stand, more than lip-service, and help restore the region’s beauty.
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