Arctic trips see rise in bookings
9th December 2011
Has the BBC's Frozen Planet series inspired travellers to plan their own Polar adventure? Internet searches demonstrate the growing trend...
The seventh and final episode of the landmark nature documentary Frozen Planet, aired this week, marking the tearful end of the ground-breaking series that has transported millions of viewers to the frosty Arctic and Antarctic.
Now it appears as though viewers are hoping to create their own Polar adventure, as destinations where travellers can see wildlife featured in the documentary have significantly increased in trip searches. This surge of interest in nature-packed hotspots and polar cruises follows a growing trend among travellers to get closer to nature by taking to the sea.
According to Hotels.com, holiday searches for Ecuador have increased by 155%, and Chile 122% because they both offer visitors the opportunity to see penguins and fur seals. Searches for Iceland, home to the orca whale, had also risen by 154%, and trip searches for Canada have grown by 119% with visitors hoping to spot the country's wolves and polar bears.
Tour operators have also told of an increase in Polar bookings. Abercrombie and Kent, luxury holiday specialists, say that they have had to add an extra 15-night tour on their Classic Antarctic Voyage to cope with growing demand for their 2012-13 season since Frozen Planet took to the screens.
Wanderlust co-founder and editor-in-chief Lyn Hughes says she sees the appeal, "Frozen Planet was extraordinary in so many ways, and opened our eyes to sights and experiences we knew little about. It's no surprise that it has inspired people to go and see the wonders of nature for themselves. And with the worrying spectre of climate change, this is the time to go!"
Cruises have long been thought of as a lazy travel option, but expedition cruises are a far cry from the leisure alternative. They are one of the best ways to visit remote areas, and in some cases the only way of reaching them. Now, even in a tough economic climate, appeal for these expedition cruises is on the rise, as more travellers attempt to see animals in their natural habitat, as opposed to on the screen.
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