In recent years, tourism in the Arctic has grown, with people visiting to experience its natural beauty, learn about its ecosystems, and understand the effects of climate change. While tourism brings opportunities for education and conservation, it also raises important questions about how to protect this delicate region for the future.
Wish you were here...
Arctic tourism is booming. It's a growth industry. Every year nearly a million tourists flock to this region by air and sea.
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The ice hotel
There are many popular destinations in the Scandinavian Arctic, including the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, in Northern Sweden. Every winter a hotel is carved from snow and blocks of frozen water from the River Torne.
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Last chance to see?
Tourists are flocking to the Arctic specifically to see endangered environments. This trend for “Doomsday tourism” - the rush to see fragile environments before they're gone - adds to the problem. It encourages more flying, with its associated greenhouse gases, and more visitor numbers in fragile regions, causing further environmental damage.
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