Recently, a netizen found that China National Geographic had launched an Antarctic scientific expedition travel activity, with a price of about 100000 yuan per person. Once the activity was launched, the quota of the latest activity had been robbed.
The staff of China National Geographic magazine told the reporter that the event had been launched for 25 years, but in recent years it has suddenly become popular.
The reporter searched social media and found that in recent years, the form of adventure travel to polar regions, deserts and other places is very popular. Some tourists said that the trip was very thrilling but fruitful. Others told reporters that it was shocking to see the temperature rise in Antarctica melting the glaciers millions of years ago, so they would unconsciously self-discipline in environmental protection, and felt that this kind of trip had profound educational significance.
China National Geographic Antarctic Scientific Research Travel Continues for 25 Years
This year, there was a sudden explosion
The news of China National Geographic's launch of Antarctic scientific research travel has attracted the attention of many netizens, who have expressed that they "want to save money to go to the Antarctic" and "although they have no money, they still want to go". It is reported that the quota for Antarctic scientific research activities starting in February 2024 will be robbed immediately after they are put on the shelves. The staff of China National Geographic magazine told reporter Yang that the Antarctic scientific research trip has been going on for 25 years
According to the staff of National Geographic of China, the quota for the Antarctic expedition starting in February 2024 has been sold out. The reporter also found on the detailed page of China National Geographic Project that the Antarctic expedition in February had been taken off the shelf. What is still on sale is the 17 day "China National Geography" Antarctic Peninsula expedition starting in November 2024. The cost is 99800 yuan/person. Click on the registration page, and there are five different types of suites to choose from, with the highest price of 159800 yuan/person. "The quota for this Antarctic scientific research trip in November next year is almost full, but you can try the alternate, and there may be a refund."
The staff said that at present, the age range of acceptable passengers for the event is 8 to 70 years old. If tourists over 70 years old sign up for the event, they need to issue a medical certificate for travel. "If you are an old person or a child, you are not recommended to sign up if your physical condition is not very good. Before you travel, we will sign a contract with the tourists. The project costs include all the expenses for accommodation, transportation, etc., and we will also buy travel insurance for tourists."
The staff said that every time they organized a scientific research trip to the Antarctic, it would be different. "Some of them crossed the Antarctic Peninsula, while others crossed the Antarctic Circle. We usually boarded the island by cruise ship to investigate the Antarctic continent closely. Later, they will also have scientific research trips to the Antarctic and the Arctic. Although it is not guaranteed that they will have them every year, it will be more frequent."
More and more people embrace the "Antarctic Dream"
China has become the second largest tourist source country of Antarctic tourism
Ms. Li from Beijing told reporters that she had successfully signed up for the Antarctic scientific research trip in February next year
Ms. Li said, "The departure time of this trip is close to the Spring Festival holiday, which is also suitable for office workers. This trip is full of Chinese people, so there is no language barrier, and experts from China National Geographic magazine team follow." Ms. Li said that she has now begun to look forward to the polar experience in February next year, "For example, kayaking, camping, etc., and this is already a very mature tourist route, so you don't have to worry about safety."
In recent years, with the increasing popularity of overseas tourism, many people are no longer satisfied with traveling to Europe, America and other places, but choose to explore polar regions, deserts and other places. Search keywords such as Antarctica on social media, and a large number of videos or posts posted by netizens on their trips to Antarctica will soon be found. According to the statistics of the International Association of Antarctic Tourists (IAATO), China is the second largest source country of tourists landing in Antarctica. As early as the Antarctic tourism season from 2017 to 2018, the number of Chinese tourists reached 8273, accounting for 16% of the global total, second only to the United States. The number of Chinese tourists in the Antarctic tourism season from 2022 to 2023 will reach 1464. It is estimated that the number of Chinese tourists will return to 80% before the epidemic in the Antarctic tourism season from 2023 to 2024.
The netizen Ah He once posted on social media that after quitting his white-collar job, as a mountaineering and skiing enthusiast, he was invited to go to the Antarctic to climb mountains and ski as a team photographer. On the cruise ship to the Antarctic, he also accidentally found that many people have the dream of going to the Antarctic. "A boy from Jiangxi is the front desk receptionist of the cruise ship, and a boy from Guangxi is the waiter of the cruise restaurant. They all work on the cruise ship in exchange for the opportunity to travel to the Antarctic."
In the Antarctic, Ah He saw a new world: silly penguins, killer whales, glaciers that have been hunting for millions of years... Ah He also had a new understanding of himself, and he felt that he still needed to constantly break the limits of his understanding.
A trip to the Antarctic is of educational significance
To protect the environment, don't follow the trend blindly
Journalist Gu Yan once visited the Antarctic seven or eight years ago. She said that because the Antarctic is the last piece of pure land on earth, it is fascinating. "At that time, the cost of one person was about 50000 yuan, and there were more than 100 people on board." Gu Yan recalled that there were people of all ages on the ship at that time, including people with children, and even people in their 70s and 80s. The ship was also equipped with foreign scientific research experts, biologists, climate experts, geological and glacier research experts, etc.
Gu Yan said that after landing on the island, the staff will explore the terrain of the island in advance to determine the areas where tourists can step, This experience in Antarctica is unforgettable. The glaciers with strange shapes and penguins taking a quiet rest and walk in layers "feel the communication and tacit understanding between nature and all kinds of life."
What Gu Yan remembers most about this trip to the South Pole is the unbearable turbulence when crossing the Drake Strait, But she still has a lingering fear in retrospect, "I feel that the ship is bumping like an earthquake, and people can't stand."
This is also the reason why tourists who have participated in the Antarctic tour have polarized comments on this journey online. Some netizens will think that this money is worth spending and is a valuable treasure of life. Many netizens who follow the trend of going to the Antarctic regret that they spend money to buy pain, which is boring and expensive.
As for the hot phenomenon of Antarctic tourism in recent years, Gu Yan said that the purpose of going to the Antarctic is very important. If it is purely following the trend, it is of little significance. "Because the number of people who go to the Antarctic every year will be limited, not that there is no limit. After all, more people will definitely pollute the environment."
It is understood that according to the Activity Guide for Antarctic Tourism Practitioners and the Activity Guide for Antarctic Tourists issued by the International Association of Antarctic Tourism Organizations, the limited number of people who land in the Antarctic every year is about 30000, and only 100 people can land on the island each time; Do not take the initiative to approach penguins within 5 meters.
Gu Yan also said that if you are an environmentalist, going to see the environment of the Antarctic will give people a new understanding, and they can feel that the Antarctic has been threatened by global warming. Because the temperature rises and melts, the scene of millions of years of glaciers collapsing in front of you is shocking, "So I think this is also one of the purposes of going to the South Pole. Going to the South Pole may enable you to better self-discipline in environmental protection after your return, which is also of profound educational significance."
