A member organization founded in 1991 to advocate and promote the practice
of safe and environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic.
Latest News
It's Penguin Awareness Day but cute memes aside, is there a serious message?
Why we need to make 2018 the year the world stops sucking
8 January - Amanda Lynnes, IAATO Head of Communications & Environment, on how small tweaks to our everyday habits can make a big difference to the environment.
December 1 - Happy Antarctica Day! To celebrate, IAATO has launched a free app called Polar Guide: Antarctica for staff guiding visitors in Antarctica that makes it quick and easy for users on-the-go in the field to access essential information without the need for a phone signal. Download now for iOS and Android. Read More.
Executive Director, Damon Stanwell-Smith, also gives his thoughts on why we should all pause to reflect on the importance of Antarctica Day.
September 25-29 - IAATO is sharing tourism expertise and how we contribute to the knowledge of ice navigation at the International Ice Charting Working Group meeting in Hobart, Tasmania. The meeting brings together the polar maritime community, including satellite data providers, scientists and vessel operators. Such collaboration will maximize the safety of all mariners.
September 25 - IAATO and Argentine authorities step up collaborative efforts to promote responsible tourism after a meeting last week in Ushuaia, Argentina. Read more.
September 18 - Two poles, one mission: IAATO and her sister association in the Arctic, AECO, are excited to announce the programme for their Polar Field Staff Conference in Iceland from 1-4 October 2017. Read more.
Information for Yachts
Questions About IAATO or Antarctica?
For answers to questions like these, please take a few moments to peruse our extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions. Don't hesitate to Contact Us if you have other questions.
Save The Date - IAATO 2018
IAATO's annual meeting in 2018 will be held from 1-3 May in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. The meeting is open to IAATO members and invited guests. Members please click HERE to access the meeting page and to register. Invited guests please click HERE to acess the meeting page and to registger.
Travelling to Antarctica?
Download the free new IAATO app Polar Guide: Antarctica for iOS and Android!
Before you leave home, the company you are travelling with will send you important information about your obligations for visiting Antarctica safely and responsibly. You can also view IAATO's briefing films, with subtitles in several different languages, and our FAQ page. Visiting the white continent is an extraordinary and special experience; we all have a role to play in protecting it for future generations. Have an incredible journey!
Featured Articles and Events
Thinking of Flying a Drone in Antarctica?
2017 / 2018 - IAATO Members have agreed that they will not allow the recreational use of drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in the unique, and often wildlife-rich, coastal areas of Antarctica until more is known about their responsible use. The ban will be reviewed annually in May to allow for potential technological advances and further developments within the regulatory community. Antarctic travellers interested in using a UAV for purposes other than recreational use in Antarctica must check with their tour operator or travel agent as far in advance of travel as possible. Read More
What does IAATO do?
IAATO produces an annual fact sheet detailing highlights over the past year, the latest tourism figures and trends and an overview of IAATO's mission and vision. Read More
Get the Facts: Non-Native Species in Antarctica
Non-native species are those species that do not naturally occur in an area and have been introduced either intentionally or unintentionally. A wide range of non-native species now occur in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands. IAATO commissions and participates in studies investigating the risks related to the inadvertent introduction of foreign species. Read More
Click on a Penguin for Conservation! 
Penguin Lifelines, a research project supported by IAATO, is using a platform called Zooniverse to allow volunteers to participate in real science. Interested members of the public can view time lapse imagery from Penguin Lifelines, and other researchers, online and help extract data by clicking on penguins. Read More
Can a Healthy Fishery Exist Without Ecosystem Damage?
CCAMLR says yes and shows us how in their inspiring five minute video. Read More
Climate Change in Antarctica: Understanding the Facts
Why does Antarctica Matter?
IAATO was invited, with other Antarctic experts, to provide a two-minute video about why Antarctica matters to them as part of the Royal Geographical Society's Young Geographer of the Year competition. Found out why Antarctica matters to them here.