By Li Hongmei
It is a mixed blessing that Antarctica has become a surprisingly popular destination for Chinese tourists, reports the Chinese-language Beijing Evening News.
On Jan. 31, more than a hundred Chinese tourists made the trek down to the Great Wall Station on the Fildes Peninsula of King George Island to celebrate Chinese New Year. Opened in 1985, the station is the first Chinese research station opened on the Antarctic continent.
A Chinese tour company said that under normal circumstances tours to the station are scheduled for May and June each year and last around 16 days. Prices start from around 100,000 yuan (US$16,500) per person, making it an experience limited to the relatively wealthy. However, there have recently been several promotional deals for larger groups where prices fall as low as 8,800 yuan (US$1,450) per person.
On Jan. 31, Chinese New Year's Day, the tourists reportedly went penguin-spotting and saw the MV Xue Long, the Chinese icebreaker recently involved in the recent operation to rescue the trapped research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy, before visiting the Great Wall Station.
Station chief Cao Jianjun told reporters that despite their busy research schedule they still find time to welcome guests, take photos and allow them to collect commemorative stamps. Most of the visitors are young and some bring gifts for the researchers, Cao said, adding that time permitting they will also arrange to eat a meal together.
Qu Tanzhou, director of the Office of Polar Expedition of China's State Oceanic Administration, said that the number of visitors to Antarctica has increased substantially over the past two or three years. Last year alone there were 1,600 visitors to the station, Qu added.
Visitors will not be turned away as long as they meet certain requirements and observe station rules, Qu said, noting however that the surge in tourists has been disruptive to the researchers' routine.
So far, the Chinese government has not included Antarctica as an official tourist destination for its citizens, nor has it introduced related visitation guidelines. Qu said the main concern is if elderly visitors injure themselves during their visit as medical resources at the station are limited.
Another problem raised by commentators is the potential environmental impact, with Chinese Academy of Social Sciences researcher Liu Simin suggesting that the government must apply strict restrictions to ensure there are no embarrassing incidents of littering or spitting.
