Antarctic tourism stands at a critical juncture. As one of the last great wilderness areas on Earth, Antarctica evokes both fascination and responsibility, drawing travellers, scientists, and policymakers into complex debates about access, preservation, and the future of tourism on the continent. Tourism to Antarctica has grown steadily over the past two decades, fuelled by advancements in expedition cruising, greater global interest in extreme environments, and the marketing of Antarctica as a once-in-a-lifetime destination. This growth raises urgent questions about sustainability, resilience, and long-term stewardship.
At the same time, Antarctica is undergoing profound transformation due to climate change, including glacial retreat, shifting sea-ice dynamics, and ecosystem vulnerability. These changes affect not only the physical environment but also operational safety, navigability, and the visitor experience. Combined with evolving international governance under the Antarctic Treaty System, emerging technologies such as autonomous vessels and remote sensing, and shifting geopolitical interests in polar regions, the future of Antarctic tourism is increasingly uncertain.
This Special Issue seeks to bring futures-oriented thinking to these challenges, applying approaches such as futures literacy, strategic foresight, scenario planning, horizon scanning, and forecasting. By exploring multiple possible, probable, and preferable futures, contributors can help expand the collective capacity to anticipate change, reflect critically on assumptions, and shape robust long-term strategies. The aim is not merely to predict but also to provoke imagination so to contribute to preparedness and support decision-making for sustainable tourism pathways. We invite work that analyses emerging trends, examines systemic interdependencies, and challenges dominant narratives about Antarctic tourism. This Special Issue aims to foster transdisciplinary dialogue and provide a platform for innovative and empirically grounded scholarship that can inform Antarctic tourism governance, practice, and research.
Rationale
Tourism in Antarctica presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. As one of the world’s last relatively untouched regions, Antarctica provides a compelling context for understanding and critically reviewing tourism development, management and governance as well as applying futures literacy, strategic foresight, scenario planning, and forecasting methodologies. This Special Issue aims to advance theoretical, methodological, and practical understanding of how futures thinking can inform sustainable, responsible, and resilient Antarctic tourism pathways. The special issue will appear in the lead up the fifth International Polar Year, and coincides with the horizon scan of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, making the question of Antarctic futures all the more salient at this point.
Scope and Topics
We welcome a diverse range of conceptual, empirical, methodological, and practice-based contributions. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Futures literacy for Antarctic tourism
- Strategic foresight and long-term planning for Antarctic tourism
- Scenario planning for Antarctic tourism futures
- Forecasting models related to Antarctic tourism
- Innovations shaping the future of Antarctic tourism
- Governance, regulation, and treaty-system futures for Antarctic tourism
- Future workforce needs, challenges, and opportunities for Antarctic tourism
- Forecasting for safety in a changing climate
- Ethical, environmental, and cultural considerations in Antarctic tourism futures
- The role of technology (AI, remote sensing, autonomous systems) in shaping Antarctic tourism futures
- Post-growth, degrowth, or regenerative futures for Antarctic tourism
- Methodological advances in futures-oriented Antarctic tourism research
- Visions of Antarctic tourism through the IPY 5 and beyond
Submission Types
- Full research papers (conceptual, empirical, or methodological) – 6000-8000 words
- Viewpoint point papers (explorative, agenda setting) – 1500-2000 words
- Industry papers (new type since 2026): Practice-based contributions involving industry or policy perspectives – 1500-2000 words
Important Dates
- JTF submission window opens: May 2026
- JTF submission window closes: April 2027
- Expected publication: June 2027
Guest Editors
- Dr. Stefan Hartman, European Tourism Futures Institute (ETFI), NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (Stefan.hartman@nhlstenden.com)
- Dr. Christy Hehir, University of Surrey
- Dr. Hanne Nielsen, University of Tasmania, Australia
- Prof. Pat Maher, Nipissing University, Canada
Submission Guidelines
Manuscripts should follow the Journal of Tourism Futures author guidelines, available on the JTF website: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/jtf . All submissions will undergo double-blind peer review in accordance with journal policies.
Contact
For inquiries, please contact the guest editorial team at: Stefan.hartman@nhlstenden.com
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