Antarctic civics: how tourists to Antarctica view their role as “Antarctic ambassadors” and how to change it
Publication Date
Fall 9-23-2024
Description
“Antarctic Ambassadorship” has emerged as an important concept in tourism, conservationist, and polar research communities. This article investigates tourists’ perceptions of “Antarctic Ambassadorship” through surveys and interviews conducted during and shortly after their travel to Antarctica, from 2015 to 2018. Interpretations of the term “Antarctic ambassador” varied widely but most hesitated to identify themselves this way. Tourists were not sure how to enact “Ambassadorship” or whether the actions they did take would “count.” Our findings suggest that the industry has great potential to promote Antarctic Ambassadorship by providing concrete ideas about what Ambassadorship might entail and offering tools for tourists to take concrete actions. We suggest a shift towards a focus on “Antarctic Civics” that would educate travellers about how Antarctica is governed and which institutions are responsible for its conservation, in order to empower tourists to engage in political advocacy in addition to personal lifestyle changes.
Journal
Polar Record
Department
Sociology & Anthropology
Second Department
Geography
Link to Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0032247424000123
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0032247424000123
Recommended Citation
Sammells, Clare A.; Roedel, Claudia; Griffin, Duane; Busato, Alexander; Brice, Lilly; and Brown, Haley. "Antarctic civics: how tourists to Antarctica view their role as “Antarctic ambassadors” and how to change it." (2024) .