Antarctica Tour Operators to Huddle in Uruguay
The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, IAATA, will be holding its19th Annual General Meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay from April 28 to May 1. The changing industry and challenges, particularly environmental and safety will figure top of the agenda.
According to the preliminary program released by IAATA, the first three full days will focus on the organization internal issues: membership, structure and operational issues.
During the closed meetings IAATO members will look at how to create the most optimal structure possible within the organization in order to address the changing industry. Uruguay has been chosen for this year’s assembly because Montevideo and Punta del Este have become important call points for cruises some of them touring Antarctica.
IAATO as a member organization has established extensive procedures and guidelines that ensure appropriate, safe and environmentally sound private-sector travel to the Antarctic: regulations and restrictions on numbers of people ashore; staff-to-passenger ratios; site-specific and activity guidelines; wildlife watching; pre- and post-visit activity reporting; passenger, crew and staff briefings; previous Antarctic experience for tour staff; contingency and emergency medical evacuation plans; and more.