China is marking its approval of Antarctica as an approved destination for Chinese tourists starting January 1, by confirming it is sending its first 24-member tourist group to the South Pole.

The 21-day tour, made up mostly of business bosses, will set foot on the white wastes of the Antarctic Peninsula on February 7, 2007.  Until now this area is known to the rest of the world to fit only for scientists and penguins.

The group will leave Guangzhou, south China for its first part of the trip and travel half-way round the globe to Ushuala, in the south of Antarctica, according to the Chinese travel agency responsible for setting up the trip.

From Ushuala, the group will board a ship through the Drake Passage, pass the South Shetland Islands, and finally arrive at the Antarctic Peninsula on February 18.

Two previous trips organized by Chinese travel agencies did not take off either due to lack of participants, or approval was not granted by authorities.

Tour participants will be required to undergo a physical examination before departure with the possibility of being excluded from the trip if they fail the physical examination.