MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Antarctica tour operators meeting in Punta del Este

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, IAATA, will be holding its19th Annual General Meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay from April 28 to May first. The changing industry and challenges, particularly environmental and safety will figure top of the agenda.

According to the preliminary program released by IAATA, the first three full days will focus on the organization internal issues: membership, structure and operational issues. During the closed meetings IAATO members will look at how to create the most optimal structure possible within the organization in order to address the changing industry. Uruguay has been chosen for this year's assembly because Montevideo and Punta del Este have become important call points for cruises some of them touring Antarctica IAATO is a member organization founded in 1991 to advocate, promote and practice safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. Since the beginning of the modern Antarctic tourism industry in 1969, the number of tourists in Antarctica has grown from a few hundred to more than 20,000 each year. Recognizing the potential environmental impacts that such growing numbers of tourism could cause, seven private tour operators conducting excursions in Antarctica joined together in 1991 to practice and promote the highest possible standards of travel in this remote, wild and delicate region of the world IAATO as a member organization has established extensive procedures and guidelines that ensure appropriate, safe and environmentally sound private-sector travel to the Antarctic: regulations and restrictions on numbers of people ashore; staff-to-passenger ratios; site-specific and activity guidelines; wildlife watching; pre- and post-visit activity reporting; passenger, crew and staff briefings; previous Antarctic experience for tour staff; contingency and emergency medical evacuation plans; and more IAATO is an industry group that is determined to set the highest possible tourism operating standards in its effort to protect Antarctica. This effort is unique, and the challenge to maintain environmentally responsible tourism exists to this extent in no other region of the world. The organization membership comprises ship operators, land-based operators, ship agents, travel agents, one government office and travel companies that charter ships and airplanes from existing operators, states IAATO in its official site IAATO meets at least once a year, during which policies, procedures, challenges and tasks are agreed to by at least a two-thirds majority vote. The Executive, Finance, Membership, Marine, Bylaws, Site Guidelines and Accreditation Committees actively participate throughout the year when decisions are at hand. When these decisions are made or changes occur, an extensive and effective e-mail network allows all of members to be updated quickly. Working in close cooperation with governments and scientific foundations, IAATO's capable representatives attend all relevant Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings and other pertinent international conferences throughout each year.