Tourists' Noncompliant Behaviors in Antarctica: An Assessment of Adherence to Proenvironmental Guidelines

Abstract

Research on compliance of tourists to guidelines in Antarctica has been limited. This investigation explores if the current reporting methods sufficiently provide an accurate measure of tourists' noncompliance. Specifically, the study addresses the compliance knowledge gap regarding Antarctic tourist behaviors by documenting instances of noncompliance with the General Guidelines for Visitors to the Antarctic (GGVA) to determine if the Antarctic Treaty Inspection Program (ATIP) and industry reports accurately reflect the frequency of noncompliance in the Antarctic. Conducted in situ at four landing sites along the Antarctic Peninsula, documented instances of noncompliance occur at a frequency of 1.63 instances per minute ashore. Based on available data from the ATIP and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, this frequency of noncompliance challenges the status quo and implies that further investigation is necessary.