China has become the world's third-largest | Antarctic tourism _ of Antarctic tourism news

Xinhuanet, Shanghai, June 11 (reporter Zhang Jiansong)-according to the International Association of Antarctica Tour operators (IAATO), at last count, 2013-2014-3367 students number of tourists landing in Antarctica, China, after the United States and Australia.

　　China ranks the third largest Antarctic tourism country

The Antarctic Treaty freezes the territorial disputes, suspending the exploitation of mineral resources in Antarctica, Antarctic tourism became the scientific research, the main way to the peaceful use of the Antarctic. Especially in 1991 after the founding of the International Association of Antarctica Tour operators, effective coordination and management of international Antarctic tourism market, has established strict standards of Antarctic tourism industry, to gain international recognition.

Recently, the seat--the headquarters of the International Association of Antarctica Tour operators in the United States, held its 25th annual meeting, puluoweidun, second Institute of Oceanography researcher Wang Zipan, Polar's tourist agencies of China "extremely beautiful" as Chinese Antarctic tourism industry representatives participated in the annual meeting, which is the Chinese debut of IAATO Assembly.

According to Wang Zipan introduced as early as in the fifties and sixties of the last century, Antarctic tourism has started, by the beginning of the century, tourist arrivals has exceeded the number of scientific investigation in Antarctica. Like the Antarctic expedition, Antarctic tourism is also a symbol of a country's comprehensive strength. For a long time, to tourists in Antarctica, mainly from the Western developed countries. As China's economic development, the Chinese people travel to Antarctica has grown rapidly.

According to the latest statistics from the International Association of Antarctica Tour operators, in November 2013 to March 2014, total number of persons all over the world travel to Antarctica is 37405, United States 12418, 33%; Australia 4115, 11%; China 3367, 9%.

"2012-2013, to sort on the number of Antarctic tourism is all over the world: the United States, and Germany, and Australia and the United Kingdom, China, China now has more than Germany and the United Kingdom, finishing third. Believe soon will be bigger than Australia, second only to United States. "Wang Zipan said.

Noteworthy is that the structure of Antarctic tourists have begun to appear in recent years changed significantly. 2014 Spring Festival tour, for example, tourists, entrepreneurs and staff of 9% and 77%, respectively, suggesting that China's Antarctic tourism are emerging to the public. In terms of age structure, 60% per cent under 40 years of age, retired older people accounted for 9. 5%, the age structure is close to the West.

　　The international community actively to Antarctic tourist resource development

According to Wang Zipan introduced, along with the development of Antarctic tourism, more and more tourists in Antarctica was not satisfied "to swim". They hope the snow city, there are more back to nature tourism experience. According to the market demands, the international community is exploitation of Antarctic tourism resources.

Tourist circuit, for example, developed eastern front, Western front, Middle landing routes, Hakki, air tours, trip to explore the extreme and the subantarctic Islands. On the tour featured products, research on Antarctic skiing, ice climbing, camping, cave, diving, as well as different items such as ice sea paddling. This annual show the diversification of tourist routes and rich products than ever before, also devoted to various types of characteristics and exploration project risk assessment, emergency and security management and control technologies, exchange of group discussion and the General Assembly.

"Compared with the international development trend, Chinese Antarctic tourism is still in its ' still holds partly concealed ' stage. Neither industry nor the consumer, currently on the general perception of Antarctic tourism environment and natural resources, Antarctic tourism to development of basic concepts, are still in the primary stage of even obscure original. "Wang Zipan says," can Antarctic tourism, has gone through the whole debate on the international stage, and gradually entered the stage of mature and orderly, exploitation of resources and positive development of the polar tourism economy. In contrast, we cannot cease. ”

Earlier this year, Chinese polar tourism agency "extremely beautiful" organization hundreds of sightseeing tours to the great wall station, Antarctica, caused great social repercussions. "Very beautiful," said Qu Xiangdong, founder: "Antarctic tourism market, we are looking for relevant State departments issued guiding principles and norms relating to Antarctic tourism, in line with the international practice, by setting thresholds, the Government approval system, strengthening of regulatory, environmental assessment, such as a set of design and guide the healthy and orderly development of the market, to prevent market abuses spread germs to the clean beauty of Antarctica. ”

　　Chinese Antarctic tourism needs to be policy restrictions

Against Chinese citizens in recent years in the Antarctic is more and more diversified, growing number of persons involved in Antarctic research activities, organization and visits more social and personnel have become increasingly diversified, in particular social groups of Antarctic tourism, adventure and science investigation activities is rising rapidly and the trend, the State Oceanic Administration has unveiled the Antarctic research activities of administrative licensing regulations.

"The regulations associated with the Antarctic tourism seems to have, and there seems to be no relation. "Wang Zipan says," refers to the relationship between Antarctic tourism must comply with all the provisions on the protection of the Antarctic environment, plants and animals. No relationship is the travel with the purpose of scientific investigation in Antarctica, the activities listed in the regulations will be carried out, thus there were no applications for administrative license is necessary. ”

Now, even though China has become the world's third-largest state of Antarctic tourism, but in the international market, but did not have the Antarctic tourism resources, no right to speak.

Implementation of Antarctic tourism, primarily rely on cruise ships or aircraft through Antarctica Portal local feeder forward. So far, with qualification of International Association of Antarctic tourism organizations operating worldwide in hundreds of Antarctic cruises, and none belonged to China, Airways are also non-Chinese aircraft. Groups of Chinese tourists agencies essentially governed by internal, portal or Charter boats in Hong Kong, or at the South Pole fight group, cruise ships or aircraft bringing visitors to foreign companies, then went to the South Pole. Chinese travel agencies are mostly transmitted through tourists abroad a cruise and get a small Commission.

"Chinese people in international Antarctic tourism market as the Gold master, but not Antarctic tourism resources available, not to say, so don't equal status must be changed as soon as possible. "Wang Zipan says," look forward to Government policy restrictions as soon as possible, encouraging more Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in tourism in Antarctica and the cruise ship industry, build a complete chain of Antarctic tourism services, promote development of Chinese ownership of Antarctic tourism resources and products, cultivate genuine Antarctic tourism market in China, a veritable Antarctic tourism country. ”

10:17 on June 11, 2014 Xinhua NET