Chinese tourists to Antarctica are increasing year by year and China is already the second largest tourist market source for Antarctica. 

 

According to IAATO, during the 2017-2018 Antarctic tourism season, a total of 51,707 tourists from all over the world visited Antarctica - Chinese reached 8,273, accounting for 16%, only second to the United States. This figure is nearly 3,000 more than the 2016-2017 Antarctic tourism seasons.

 

Ctrip predicts that the 2018-2019 Antarctic tourism seasons is expected to exceed 10,000 passengers, and one out of every five tourists to Antarctica will be Chinese.

 

Bookings for Antarctic routes are growing rapidly. Judging from the current booking situation, 100% growth is expected in the visitor number to Antarctica.

 

40% of Antarctic travel orders came from online bookings.

 

60% came from some 7000 offline Ctrip stores, and most came from those living in third- and fourth-tier cities.

 

The cost of a tour to Antarctica is lowest at RMB 50,000 and RMB 110,000 on average.

 

Most travelers came from first-tier cities, and those from second- and third-tier cities were growing as well. Top 10 departure cities for Antarctica are: Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Chongqing, Xi 'an and Wuhan, with  60% growth rate in Shanghai, 80% growth in Beijing, 120% growth in Shenzhen, and on average, more than 200% growth in Hangzhou, Nanjing, Tianjin, Taizhou and other cities.

 

Nearly 90% of Chinese tourists choose to take cruises to Antarctica. Only 1% of Chinese tourists fly directly to the South Pole.

 

 

Antarctica Itinerary comprises of mostly Argentina and Antarctica/Brazil, Argentina and Antarctica/Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Antarctica. 44% select the Argentina and Antarctica trip.

 

 

31% traveled as couples, 24% with friends and/or colleagues, 25% chose to go alone, 14% with their kids, and 6% with their parents. More and more fully independent single travelers opting for a trip to Antarctica as well.