Antarctica, a new frontier for eco-curious tourists Once reserved for fearless adventurers, Antarctica is now just a click away for increasing numbers of curious tourists thanks to luxury cruise ships offering adventure... and scientific enlightenment. 78,000 tourists are expected to visit the ice-covered continent between March and November, far more than last season... a growing trend which has created an unhealthy paradox: the CO2 emissions produced by globe-trotting tourists travelling to observe a continent already suffering the effects of global warming.