Related goal
Transport and travel in Svalbard will not cause serious or permanent damage to the vegetation or disturb animal life. It will be possible to enjoy the natural environment undisturbed by motor traffic even in areas that are easily accessible from the settlements.
Are we moving in the right direction?
The number of sites where tourists go ashore has risen greatly, from 52 in 1996 to 140 in 2007. The number of people going ashore each year was about 20 000 - 25 000 in the period 1996-2000, rising to more than 50 000 a year in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The higher figures may be partly explained by better reporting routines, but it seems clear that cruise traffic has in fact been growing and spreading to new areas of Svalbard, especially the eastern parts of the archipelago.