The Chinese government has warned its citizens to "think carefully before signing up for a trip to Antarctica", said officials from the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), the National Tourism Administration (NTA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China has not approved any kind of tour to the region because its overriding concerns must be to protect the fragile Antarctic ecosystem and travelers' safety, an NTA official said.

Some domestic travel agencies and other organizations organize flights to Chile or Argentina, where local agencies step in to take them to the South Pole, usually by ship.

The cost is around 100,000 yuan (12,500 U.S. dollars) and since the region is not an approved destination for Chinese travel groups, tourists' safety and other benefits cannot be secured, according to the official.

China currently has no regulations about Antarctic tourism, the official said.

He said that China is drafting a regulation on tourist activities, including tourism in Antarctica, but it is not known when the regulation will be issued.

A group of tourists, organized by a Guangdong-based travel agency, plan to visit the South Pole in January.

Several countries, including the United States, Russia and Australia, organize tourism to Antarctica. According to statistics, more than 10,000 people visit Antarctica each year.

Editor: Donald