Chinese tourists can now easily access Antarctica and hang out with penguins.
Chinese outlets are now celebrating the country's first-ever commercial flight to Antarctica. The first flight, which landed on the continent on Saturday, December 16, carried 22 passengers.
The flight took off from Hong Kong and transferred over in Cape Town on a trip which took more than 20 hours. The event was hailed as "new era in tapping polar travel."
While the Chinese media still celebrate over this milestone, BBC noted that the final leg of the Cape Town to Antarctica trip is actually being organized by a famous tour operator which offers trips to South and North Pole.
It can be noted that in the previous years, the number of Chinese tourists exploring Antarctica has increase from fewer than a hundred in 2008 to nearly 4,000 last year. Chinese visitors also ranked the second for the frequent and most number of visitor, behind American visitors.
Travel agencies also began targeting wealthy Chinese tourists seeking a unique getaway. Some of the Chinese visitors are willing to spend 100,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan for a one or two-week trip to the frozen continent. Some also take this opportunity to take wedding shots.
However, some are also concerned regarding the negative impact of the increased tourism in the continent.
