AECO is committed to ensuring that expedition cruise tourism contributes and adds value to the visited communities. Through our community engagement initiatives, we collaborate closely with local stakeholders to ensure mutual benefits and to support sustainable development.

Focus Areas

Collaboration, Dialogue, and Partnership 

Collaboration with stakeholders is at the heart of AECO’s community engagement efforts. We emphasize continuous dialogue with local community representatives, researchers, educational institutions, authorities and other industries. Our work includes forming formal and informal partnerships, initiating joint projects, and supporting local initiatives.

Value Creation

AECO actively supports opportunities for local economic growth through expedition cruise tourism. We have launched several initiatives that promote a “buy local” approach, connecting our operators with local producers.

Our commitment goes beyond economic benefits. AECO’s members help communities by providing transportation for personnel and goods, sponsoring local projects, organizing ship visits, sharing observations and aiding in search and rescue preparedness and response.

Employment and Training 

AECO is dedicated to increasing the number of local guides on Arctic expedition cruise vessels. These guides bring valuable expertise, improve the guest experience, and support local employment and development.

Additionally, AECO and its members participate in local educational programs and have agreements that ensure training opportunities for locals. Educational institutions can access AECO resources, and AECO often provides lectures to support learning.

Providing Resources 

AECO works to make sure that expedition cruise guests are welcomed in the communities they visit. In collaboration with local communities, we have developed resources to enhance experiences for both residents and visitors. This includes our community-specific guidelines, research station guidelines, and the Cruise Ready toolkit, which helps communities prepare for cruise ship visits.

Last update: 05. November 2024