Feature Interview: The environmental and social impacts of Arctic tourism
![The Clipper Adventurer cruise ship shown in 2010. The cruise ship passengers were stranded in the Arctic for almost two days before being rescued by the Canadian Coast Guard. (Canadian Coast Guard / The Canadian Press)](https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/wp-content/uploads/sites/30/2014/09/9292657.jpg)
The changing Arctic climate has opened up business and economic opportunities in everything from resource development to shipping.
![Erica Dingman, fellow at the World Policy Institute and director of the their Arctic in Context program. (Courtesy Erica Dingman)](https://www.rcinet.ca/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2014/09/Erica1-240x135.jpg)
Arctic tourism is also becoming an increasingly lucrative as interest grows in this remote part of the world.
Local Arctic communities can certainly benefit economically from this growing industry.
But a recent blog, titled The Price of “Discovering” the Arctic – Part I by Gianna De Filippis, and posted on the World Policy Institute website this month, suggests more attention should be paid to the environmental and social impacts of Arctic tourism.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Creating an economy in the North: Can tourism save this town?, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Nature tourism in North Finland drawing Chinese tourists, Yle News
Greenland: Greenland inspires Arctic Bay, Canada tourism strategy, Eye on the Arctic
Iceland: Rejected by Iceland, billionaire sets sights on Arctic Finland for tourism project, Yle News
Russia: Creating links across the Arctic – A look back on the Beringia Arctic Games, Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: Is space tourism coming to Sweden’s Arctic?, Radio Sweden
United States: Passport troubles keep some athletes from Arctic Winter Games in Alaska, CBC News