The Arctic regions are one of the last frontiers of tourism. For about a decade, the islands of Svalbard in the Norwegian High Arctic have been a focal point of the adventure tourism industry; now they host one - fourth of all Arctic tourism. A remote and ecologically vulnerable location, Svalbard represents the last European wilderness. The largely intact ecosystems are potentially threatened by coal mining, oil and gas exploration, tourism and extensive field research activities. More than anywhere else in Europe, the challenge here is to preserve extensive wilderness areas. Current efforts include zoning of tourism activities, monitoring of the effects of tourism on the natural environment, and more active co - operation between managers and the tourism industry in defining future strategies for tourism. If we consider management regimes, current knowledge, legislation, the amount of staff and resources -- in short, the role and power of public management of tourism in natural environments -- it seems clear that the tourism industry has the potential to save as well as destroy the world's natural attractions. In some cases, the tourism industry can provide the best means for protecting the resources.