Mount Everest climbing competition
However, in recent years ‘frontier tourism’ has attracted widespread attention due to the climbing of Mount Everest, the race to cross the Drake Passage in the Antarctic, and the rapid development of space tourism for the wealthy. The growing trend of posting videos of their travels on social media and people’s urge to travel post COVID-19 have led to a rise in popularity of ‘frontier tourism’. Why are we so attracted to this type of tourism? Risky activities release chemicals in the brain that can be addictive. Research shows that engaging in high-risk tourism activities such as climbing high mountains can lead to feelings of success and excitement.
Tourists leave feeling refreshed and somewhat changed. But ‘frontier tourism’ is clearly not for everyone. It is usually only accessible to a privileged few. Travelers aboard the Titan submarine reportedly paid US$250,000 for it. What are the effects of ‘frontier tourism’? This type of tourism has many effects, such as the anger of friends and family when things go wrong.
Heavy expenditure in search and rescue operations
This type of travel can cause environmental damage and negatively impact local communities. For example, after decades of mass mountaineering, environmental effects can be seen on Mount Everest. Furthermore, when accidents do occur during such tours, search and rescue operations are costly and can put rescue teams at great risk. In such a situation, the trend of risky tourism may have increased, but it has its own dangers, which are still intact.
Annie Hardy, Ken Seng Ooi, Henny E.F. Nielsen (University of Tasmania) and Joseph M. Cheyer (Western Sydney University)