Antarctica Seen As Major Attraction

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32217, 9 February 1970, Page 1

Antarctica Seen As Major Attraction

“If the Antarctic is opened up for tourists it will become one of the major attractions of the world,” the Minister of Tourism (Mr Walker) said in Christchurch last evening.

“1 can see wealthy tourists coming to New Zealand clamouring for passages to Antarctica. It will be a bonanza for New Zealand,” he said.

Having been there, he could visualise a cruise ship being used as a luxury hotel, and trips by helicopter, and perhaps by dog sleds, to Capes Royd and Crozier, the Scott and Shackleton huts and the Beardmore Glacier. Mr Walker said that he had spoken along these lines in the House in 1962, and had received letters from up and down the country supporting the idea. One clergyman had asked if he could be the first padre. However, Mr Walker had two reservations.

From his experience he appreciated “the enormous difficulties” which would be encountered, and he appreciated why it would not be reasonable to expect scientific parties to act as hosts. Tourist projects would have to be fully self-sufficient and able to cope with all emergencies. Furthermore, he did not think tourism should be permitted at this stage if it would interfere with important scientific work—“and we would have to be guided by the scientists themselves.”

If it should be the considered opinion of competent scientists that much tourism would contaminate the area, tourist traffic would have to be delayed, said Mr Walker. “We would have to be re-

sponsible and not ruin the opportunity of making scientific observations. Once the all clear was given we could get under way,” he said.