The expedition cruise industry operating in the Arctic is gearing up for a safe reopening, says the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).
In its Annual General Meeting on 20OCT, 62 AECO participants representing 38 member organizations met to discuss the challenges the industry is facing and the ways in which it is gearing up for a busy season of expedition cruising in 2022.
“We are very grateful for the support and dedication that our members have shown throughout this challenging period. While operations have been halted, AECO and our members have done a tremendous amount of work in preparing for a safe reopening,” saisd Frigg Jørgensen, Executive Director of AECO.
“Our members have expressed that they really see the value in being part of an association that monitors developments and advocates on their behalf, especially in periods when their own capacity is limited. Coming together like this gives the industry a unified voice and legitimacy when we represent the industry’s interests and work with authorities, local stakeholders and academia to advance responsible travel in the Arctic.”
Some issues discussed during the meeting involved new regulatory measures in Svalbard, where Norway’s Environment Agency recently proposed new tourism rules on the archipelago to mitigate the environmental impact of adventure tourism.
Another important focus of the meeting was COVID-19 mitigation and response, and AECO members have benefitted from sharing procedures and best practices to implement.
Member organizations are preparing for an Arctic expedition cruise season in 2022, but the association has yet to announce any specific measures that will be put in place.
AECO highlights that the organization is also actively involved in regulatory processes that aim to ensure responsible and environmentally-friendly tourism in the Arctic, which it defines as seas and destinations north of 60 degrees north latitude. The core areas are Svalbard, Jan Mayen, Greenland, Arctic Canada, the Russian Arctic National Park and Iceland.
Norway-based AECO’s membership consists of stakeholder organizations and expedition cruise lines including Hurtigruten, Silversea, G Adventures, Quark Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions, Adventure Canada, Seabourn, Ponant, and others.
