Governance of Antarctic Tourism: From Private Actors to the Antarctic Treaty System, and Back

Abstract

Antarctica is an area of the world under collective governance. Consequently, regulating tourism in and around the continent is a complex endeavour, involving a range of stakeholders that need to act, as much as possible, in concert. From the inter-state collaboration within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), to individual states adopting rules towards persons and entities with which they share a jurisdictional link, and private actors self-regulating within the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the governance framework is rich in interactions. This chapter presents Antarctica's governance framework and various actors' roles, and examines how the development of rules by one type of actor influences the actions of others. In addition to the traditional top-down implementation of international rules via state parties, and the incorporation of privately developed standards into international law, this chapter also examines the potential of individual states (or a coalition thereof) voluntarily implementing stricter standards towards improving the governance of Antarctic tourism.