IAATO recognised in a recent suite of Antarctic place names made by the United Kingdom.

 Newport, Rhode Island, USA: The place-names selected for inclusion in a place-naming theme for the Pioneers of safe and environmentally responsible Antarctic tourism, includes a group of islands in the Grandidier Channel named the IAATO Islands, to reflect the organisation’s essential role, over the past 25 years, in advocating and promoting the practice of safe and environmentally-responsible Antarctic tourism.

Additionally, recognition goes to several outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to developing industry best practice for safe and environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica, including vessel Captains Leif Skog, Karl-Ulrich Lampe, Uli Demel and Jérôme Poncet, and naturalists Carmen Field and Susan Adie.

Other newly approved names will join existing names, such as Lindblad Cove, to commemorate individuals who pioneered early tourism activities such as Peter & Philippa Scott and Keith Shackleton. Additionally, previous members of the  IAATO secretariat John Splettstoesser and Darrel Schoeling have joined Denise Landau in the honour.

Dr Kim Crosbie, Executive Director of IAATO noted “This is an extraordinary and very humbling pat on the back for all involved particularly in the year that IAATO celebrates its 25^th Anniversary. We would like to extend our huge congratulations to all who have been recognised individually, but also to every single member of IAATO; it is through their passion as such proactive, cooperative and collaborative companies and individuals that Antarctic tourism has such a strong reputation for being both safe and environmentally responsible.”