Chinese tourism to arctic regions is booming

Well-heeled Chinese travelers don't want to go to the same old places anymore, and the Arctic Circle comes with bragging rights. While Chinese tourist arrivals in the Arctic and in Antarctica look next to nothing next to arrivals in any major destination, they still represent a significant proportion of all tourists who venture to these remote regions. In Antarctica, China is already the second-largest source of visitors, and in the Arctic, they represent an even larger share of visitors—estimated at between 25-50 percent of annual visits. Such tours are already moving into the mainstream in China. Last year, Alibaba’s online travel agency (OTA) Fliggy entered a partnership with Norwegian company Hurtigruten to launch China-exclusive cruises to Antarctica. Fliggy is also mulling the possibility of launching its own vessel that will take even more Chinese travelers to these remote regions.