About 300 Malaysians now travel to Antarctica each year, mostly during the November to March season, according to polar expedition operator Antarctica21.
Senior commercial director Juan Cristobal del Pedregal Bravo said at a briefing organised by the Chilean embassy in Kuala Lumpur that many are seasoned travellers in their 50s to 70s who combine the trip with a wider South American holiday.
The continent remains a luxury destination. Expedition cruise fares generally range from about RM25,000 to RM60,000 a person, while some fly-in programmes cost more than RM90,000.
The biggest change is in how travellers get there. For decades, most visitors sailed from Ushuaia in Argentina across the Drake Passage, a notoriously rough stretch of ocean that takes about two days to cross. Today, travellers can fly from Punta Arenas in Chile to King George Island in about two hours, then board a small expedition ship.
Antarctica21, which pioneered the fly-and-cruise format in 2003, said demand is strong and could grow further, including among Muslim travellers if suitable meals and other needs are catered for.