Quark Expeditions was one of the founding members of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO), whose key objectives include advocating and promoting safe and environmentally responsible travel to the Antarctic. IAATO's focus on conservation, management, and education promotes a greater understanding of Antarctica, with the goal of leaving it as pristine and majestic for future generations as it is today.
Quark Expeditions aims to be the leader in responsible polar tourism, the go-to operator for conscious travelers and the preferred partner of the world’s most responsible brands. We employ the best people in the industry and will lead the industry in diversification of our workforce. We work to reduce our impact, catalyze change in the industry and help improve our suppliers’ operations.
Leadership in Industry Associations
Quark Expeditions is dedicated to delivering transformational experiences in the polar regions in an environmentally responsible way, including working with and providing support to organizations whose mission is to protect and preserve these areas. We are active members of both the Arctic and Antarctic governing organizations, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), to help establish and enforce regulations that reduce the impact of tourism in the polar regions. We adhere to the stringent guidelines set out by these organizations, which are designed to ensure the polar regions are protected for future generations and regularly collaborate on opportunities to advance their respective missions.
AECO and IAATO work with all member operators to manage landings and visits in the polar regions in a responsible way. Regulations that are currently in place restrict the number of vessels able to visit a site at any given time and the number of individuals allowed ashore during landings. For example, Antarctic landings are limited to no more than 100 visitors ashore at a time. Guidelines for landing sites and community visits ensure that the impact of visits are lessened.
Leadership in Industry Associations
About IAATO
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About AECO
Quark Expeditions is a member of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), an international organization for cruise operators that is dedicated to managing environmentally friendly, safe and considerate cruise tourism in the Arctic. AECO’s guidelines are essential tools to achieve its objective: to ensure that cruise tourism in the Arctic is carried out with the utmost consideration of the natural environment, local cultures, as well as challenging safety hazards at sea and on land.