Climate change has increased risks to, and demand for, polar tourism experiences related to increased maritime accessibility , lengthening of warm weather season lengths  and development of a 'last chance tourism market' . Reductions in sea ice extent have facilitated increased access for polar cruising . Demand for Arctic cruises has increased by 20.5% over the past 5 years and resulted in 27.2 million passengers in 2018 . In the Antarctic, tourist numbers increased by 27% from 1992 to 2018 and attracted 75,000 visitors in 2019-2020 , making it the largest economic sector in the entire region . The recent increase in polar tourism is due in part to the development of a niche market called 'last chance tourism', which involves explicitly marketing vulnerable or vanishing destinations or features  and encouraging tourists to see them 'before they are gone' . However, tourism development opportunities will also contend with ongoing risks related to the coronavirus disease 2019  pandemic, which halted tourism globally in 2020-2021 , as well as those related to increased climatic risks limiting participation and reducing safety and security. By 2100, under RCP8.5, snow cover season length suitable for winter recreational activities is projected to decrease by 21-49% in West Greenland . Reduced sea ice and snow cover creates hazards for and could limit dog sledding, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and floe edge tours, with limited adaptation strategies available for low-elevation areas .
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report