Dynamic natural events and human activities in the Polar Regions are having a significant combined impact on these fragile environments. In populated regions of the Arctic, social norms, cultural integrity, and economic interactions are also being affected. Partly responsible for these changes and impacts is an increase in tourism, which is now one of the principal human activities in the Polar Regions.
This increasing tourism activity will in turn be impacted by the current and anticipated natural and human-induced changes to this dynamic environment. This publication outlines the key features of the Polar Region environment and describes tourism's multiple roles and impacts in both the Arctic and Antarctica. It describes the significance of Polar Region tourism, explains the trends and impacts, proposes an agenda for sustainable tourism development, and outlines principles, guidelines and selected good practices to conserve these unique wilderness areas through the regulation and management of tourism.