Indians have woken up to unexplored tourism destinations such as Antarctica and the Arctic Circle, customised tour operator Q Experiences founder Vasim Shaikh said on Thursday. Until now, it was mostly the Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America and East Asian countries. However, of late, people are opening up to Antarctica as well. "When we see the global map, Antarctica never seems to be a destination for tourists. But, in reality, cruise service to the icy continent brings about 35,000 tourists from all over the world. Of late, the interest from India is also growing," Shaikh told media persons. Until just a few years ago, only 100 odd tourists from India used to go to Antarctica every year. However, the number almost doubled in 2017 and is expected to grow by another 100 in 2018. November to February is the most conducive period as it is summers in the region and the temperature hovers between -2 degrees Celsius to 2 degrees Celsius. Cruises operate from New Zealand and the southern tip of Argentina to Antarctica. It is about 2,200km from New Zealand, and 950km from Ushuaia in Argentina, which is also considered "The End of the World" as there is no human habitat south of it. Other popular destinations include Canada tours to see polar bear migration, special locations in the Arctic Circle, aerial safari of African forests, special tours such as visits to spots where Hollywood film James Bond and popular television series Game of Thrones were shot and other customised tours, especially for honeymoon couples. Despite the rise in tourists, India lags far behind China. "Until a few years ago, India and China had equal travellers numbering about 100. Since then, the number of Chinese travellers has risen to about 4,000 while that of India is at just 200," said Shaikh, who is the only tour operator for Antarctica in the country. He began his first tour in 2017 with 100 odd tourists. This year, he plans to take two batches of 100 travellers each. "It is not just metro cities but people from interior places who are also willing to visit Antarctica. While there is a demand for travellers to Antarctica, there is a huge gap of operators who can arrange such tours," he said.

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