Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the Arctic and Antarctic regions were experiencing significant growth in tourist arrivals. In the aftermath of this global crisis, the tourism industry has rebounded and the number of tourists visiting the polar regions is expected to keep growing significantly in the coming years. Remote regions are increasingly accessible as tourism actors develop technologies, diversify activities and itineraries, and climate change worsens. In the Arctic, tourism now takes place year-round through various modalities, ranging from exclusive icebreaker expeditions to the North Pole to mass tourism practices in several destinations such as Rovaniemi, Reykjavik, Longyearbyen or Skagway, wherein tourism not only brings opportunities, but also new challenges to local communities. Meanwhile, gateway cities to Antarctica such as Ushuaia and its inhabitants are set to recover from the severe adverse effects due to the virtual standstill of tourism
