Online posts revealed that hundreds of tourists were left stranded in Antarctica after severe weather conditions prevented flights from departing.
Around February 5, passengers aboard Antarctic cruise ships, including Silver Endeavour and Magellan Explorer, were unable to leave due to adverse weather. The timing overlapped with the Spring Festival holiday, with more than half of those affected being Chinese nationals.
A Chinese tourist said that their group of eight incurred over RMB 200,000 (about USD 27,571) in additional expenses due to the delay.
Another passenger noted that the disruption made hotel bookings, Michelin-star restaurants reservations, and airport transfer services non-refundable.
Antarctic expeditions have been popular since 1958, with a rapidly expanding market in recent years. Chinese travelers have shown increasing interest since 2017-2018, with younger tourists and independent travelers making up a rising share.
According to the latest data from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the 2023-2024 Antarctic tourism season attracted 122,072 global visitors, including 9,384 from China—a new record, ranking China third worldwide.
A holiday travel trend report from Beijing UTour International Travel Service highlights South America + Antarctica as a top destination for the 2025 Spring Festival. These high-demand itineraries, offering rare ice and snow experiences, sold out three months in advance.
