Polar tourism comes in from the cold

China's polar tourism industry has evolved over the past decade.

In earlier years, Chinese tourists booked trips through international operators or directly with cruise lines. Between 2010 and 2015, rising disposable incomes sparked demand, leading major Chinese agencies, like Beijing-based Utour, to charter ships for polar expeditions.

The market grew significantly from 2016 to 2017, with additional travel companies entering the field and diversifying their offerings.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic brought growth to a halt, the pent-up enthusiasm for polar exploration has been steadily rebounding.

Looking ahead to 2026, 66 Degrees Expeditions plans to enhance its new culturally themed voyages, including traditional Chinese medicine wellness lectures, and new itineraries, such as West African island voyages, offering travelers diverse polar experiences.

For Wang, the growing presence of Chinese travelers in the polar regions gives him personal and professional joy. "Explaining marine biology and conservation in Mandarin creates a deeper connection," he says.

Watching the faces of Chinese guests as they glimpse a blue whale rising from the sea, Wang sees a shift in consciousness.

As he shares how global whaling bans in 1969 have slowly allowed these giants to return, something deepens in his Chinese guests' expressions.

"It is the quiet awakening of responsibility, and the sense that they, too, have a role to play in this story of recovery," Wang says.

"They aren't just observing — they are participating," Wang reflects.

"Through hearing the story in their own language from a Chinese guide, they feel included. It becomes their legacy to protect."