Antarctica's tourism boom raises concerns about contamination and disease
Passengers watch as a ship sails through the Lemaire Channel in Antarctica, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)
BRUSSELS (AP) — Driven in part by fears that the frozen landscapes of Antarctica may be irreversibly melting away because of climate change, tourism to the bottom of the world is soaring. And experts warn that with more visitors comes an increased risk of contamination, illness and other damage to the continent.
While visitor numbers are still small — in part due to the high costs and time it can take — they are growing so fast that scientists and environmentalists are sounding alarms.
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