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The $10,000 cruise that recently became possible — and might not last for long

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By illuminem briefings

· 2 min read


illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: As Arctic cruises grow popular due to melting sea ice, tourists are paying upwards of $10,000 to see the Svalbard archipelago’s shrinking glaciers and rare wildlife
• The warmer conditions allow for longer tourist seasons and easier routes but threaten the same landscapes and species that tourists come to see

🔭 The context: Svalbard, situated halfway between Norway and the North Pole, has seen its cruise visits double since 2016
• Despite the appeal, climate change intensifies visitor conflicts as melting ice diminishes traditional routes, and tourists, aware of their carbon footprint, grapple with ethical dilemmas over their trips’ environmental impacts

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: With Arctic glaciers receding at alarming rates, experts warn that increased tourism contributes to emissions while diminishing the Arctic’s ecological balance, exacerbating climate change impacts for local wildlife and landscapes

⏭️ What's next: While cruise operators claim to minimize their environmental footprint, critics point to greenwashing and lack of transparency
• Calls for stricter regulations may follow as tourism grows, but sustainable, zero-emission options for Arctic travel remain limited

💬 One quote: “If nobody sees a place like this, there’d be nobody to protect it” – PolarQuest guide Zet Freiburghaus, acknowledging the tourism paradox

📈 One stat: Arctic ice has declined by nearly 600,000 square miles in the past 20 years, an area over three times the size of California

Click for more news covering the latest on tourism

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