Observing sustainable tourism in ...( Antarctica is the ultimate destinati...)

Antarctica is the ultimate destination for anyone interested in natural history but it also challenges those people who visit to think broadly about our responsibilities to all life on Earth. Thats the view of Dr Robert Lambert, a lecturer on Tourism and the Environment at The University of Nottingham, who has just returned from the Antarctic in his role as an Observer for the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO).

Dr Lambert, who is a member of the Business Schools Christel DeHaan Tourism and Travel Research Institute, says the relationship between nature and people is complex and constantly changing and great positives can come from tourism in Antarctica. He believes those lucky enough to experience it could become ambassadors for the region to help develop a constituency of support for Antarctica.

He said: Few people get the opportunity to visit this extraordinary place, and those who experience it first hand return home with a powerful sense of wonder and concern for the myriad threats that it faces. I believe theres a huge sense of goodwill for the region that could be passed on by these tourist ambassadors to the rest of society.

Dr Lambert, who is based at the Nottingham University Business School and the School of History, spent 12 days onboard a cruise ship making its first voyage to Antarctica. His job was to monitor the running of the ship and the conduct of its crew and passengers as they sailed through one of the largest and most fragile wildernesses on earth.

Dr Lambert, who was appointed as an Observer for IAATO in 2005, has a particular interest in seabirds and cetaceans. He said: Serving as an IAATO Observer is the best kind of public service, where I am confident that the sustainable tourism report I compile will make a difference.

The Antarctic tourist season runs from October to April and has flourished in the last thirty years growing from around 6,000 visitors in t
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