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Antarctica was once a distant, almost mythical destination at the end of the world.
Now, more people than ever – not just lone explorers and adventurers – can experience the towering icebergs, penguin colonies and breathtaking fiords for themselves.
Fewer than 8,000 people went to Antarctica in the mid-1990s. A decade later, that number rose to 20,000. By 2024, the continent saw almost 123,000 visitors. Many of them are social media influencers or have been influenced by platforms such as TikTok.
“Of course, you can’t compare the numbers with those in Venice, Barcelona or Phi Phi Island,” says Anne Hardy, a tourism professor at the University of Tasmania in Australia. “But what we are experiencing in Antarctica is increasing diversification, moving away from niche tourism.”

Most of the tours currently on offer are expedition ships with space for up to 500 passengers, though the market is growing for ships with up to 1,000 people on board, says Hardy.
Cruises to the Southern Ocean now cater to a wide range of interests, she adds, pointing to the Antarctica Pride Cruise for LGBTQ guests. “The spectrum ranges from wellness tours to medical congresses and swinger ships.”
A recent Antarctica Swinger Cruise featured “erotic entertainment, sensual playrooms, sexy themed evenings and international DJs” – as well as “hot activities on board” to counterbalance the Antarctic chill outdoors.
We are now seeing a risk of Antarctica becoming an ‘adventurous playground’ for humans to entertain themselves
Ricardo Roura, adviser to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition
US DJ Diplo even performed from the remote continent in December 2023, becoming the first DJ to play on all seven continents.
The continent remains hard to reach and expensive, but the growing number of visitors means it is losing some of its uniqueness.
“Antarctica is slowly becoming a more ‘normal’ travel destination, a place like many others,” says Hardy.












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“A few years ago, hashtags like #AntarcticTourism and #DrakePassage suddenly went viral on the internet,” she says, referring to the strait between the tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, known for its unpredictable waves.
Many influencers are keenly aware that the more remote a destination they highlight, the more likely they are to attract followers. Because of this, they will share videos of themselves sipping wine against a backdrop of icebergs – videos that can rack up millions of views.
TikTok typically attracts a younger crowd than, say, Instagram or Facebook – so it is no wonder that the Antarctic market for this age group is particularly strong, says Hardy.
While many travellers to Antarctica are doing it to boost their follower counts, others are simply copying trends set by their fellow travellers. This type of Antarctic tourist stands in stark contrast to traditional scientific expeditions, many of which go to address or explore environmental concerns.
Though research and tourism in the Southern Ocean have long coexisted, these latest developments have appalled the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (Asoc).

“Antarctica is known to be ‘one of the last great wildernesses on Earth’ but we are now seeing a risk of Antarctica becoming an ‘adventurous playground’ for humans to entertain themselves,” says Ricardo Roura, a senior adviser to Asoc.
Influencers have almost innumerable platforms on which to spread their Antarctic experiences, he says, meaning it is important to regulate tourism in the region.
Shockingly, graffiti has been found on a historic building on the volcanic island of Deception Island, close to the Antarctic peninsula.
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) has called this “thoughtless vandalism”. No visitor who had travelled with one of the IAATO members was responsible, the association added.
Other than this, there has been little evidence of the negative impacts of tourism, although this is hard to monitor consistently, says Roura. While the industry has guidelines and measures in place to protect against them, it is tough to say whether these are enough.

Microplastics and noise pollution are just two potential problems, he says. There are around 50 to 100 places in the Antarctic region where large numbers of tourists regularly gather, and this will inevitably cause damage.
He worries, too, about the hundreds of tourists that enter penguin colonies. Although they have to keep a distance of a few metres from the animals and numbers are limited, it still happens every day.
“Even those basic rules may need to be revisited,” he says, suggesting designated areas where tourism is no longer allowed.
However, the IAATO says a 2019 study indicates that the penguins do not appear to show elevated stress hormones and they do not appear to be disturbed by their visitors. It also says that rules and guidelines are enforced by staff on site.
Many of the rules on tourists are based on the Antarctic Treaty, which came into force in 1961 and has more than 50 member states as signatories. The treaty provides for the exclusively peaceful utilisation of Antarctica, primarily for scientific research, plus a ban on military activities.

Hardy fears some signatories may realise that the region is less unique than it once was, and that hotels and other tourist structures will be built. This is, so far, strictly forbidden and the only overnight stays allowed are in tents.
“Visiting Antarctica is a privilege. Anyone travelling to the region has a responsibility to do so respectfully,” says IAATO.
Those who still want to travel there should choose a tour operator that focuses chiefly on environmentally conscious ethics, to ensure that Antarctica remains as majestic for future generations as it is today.
All these concerns and more will be considered more fully at the 2025 Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, to be held in Italy from June to July.


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A boat carrying tourists off the coast of the Antarctic peninsula. Antarctica’s growing popularity with tourists is being fuelled by social media and is stoking concerns about the need to keep its environment pristine. Photo: Shutterstock

A ship at Paradise Bay in the Antarctic. Most of the tours currently on offer are provided by expedition ships. Photo: Shutterstock

An aerial view of an iceberg in the waters of the Southern Ocean off Antarctica. Photo: AFP

Tourists can observe penguins on colonies in Antarctica. Photo: Shutterstock

Passengers on a ship look at an iceberg at Antarctica. The continent remains hard to reach and expensive, but the growing number of visitors means it is losing some of its uniqueness. Photo: Shutterstock

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Trang An, Vietnam’s ‘dry Halong Bay’ in Ninh Binh, worth a visit by bike, boat and on foot

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Tourists tour the wonders of Trang An, Vietnam, by boat. Photo: Shutterstock

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Longtooth grouper stew. Photo: Llewellyn Cheung

Lifestyle

Travel & Leisure

Glistening icebergs. Adorable penguins. Majestic fiords. Antarctica’s growing popularity with tourists is being fuelled by social media


Glistening icebergs. Adorable penguins. Majestic fiords. Antarctica’s growing popularity with tourists is being fuelled by social media.


Travel Destinations

Antarctica

Environment

Responsible travel