Analyzing the evolution of adventure tourism in the Antarctic Treay area and its regulation in the next ten years

Abstract

Between the 1990’s and 2021, it has been observed a linear growth ofthe tourism industry in the Antarctic as well as a diversification of the portfolio of tourism activities in the region. The small tourism niche of adventure tourism gradually emerged and is now an important sector of the Antarctic tourism industry, bringing new operators and diversifying the panel of activities offered in the region. The thesis is seeking to define the components of adventure tourism in the Antarctic, to categorize the various tourist activities into the adventure tourism category, to analyze the environmental impacts and the risk management of adventure tourismactivities in the region, to study the existing regulations framing adventure tourism as well as the actors of this regulation and this management, and to point out potential legally-bindings regulations that could be implemented in order to control the evolution of adventure tourism. The thesis will focus on the different components of the development and the diversification of Antarctic adventure tourism and the aspiring evolution of its governance in the next Ten years.