All around the world, glaciers are melting, coral reefs are bleaching, and coastlines are vanishing — and travellers are racing to see them before they’re gone forever. This growing trend, known as “last-chance tourism”, gives people the chance to experience fragile destinations on the brink of disappearance. But without care, it can speed up the very damage it seeks to witness.

French writer Cédric Duroux remembers the moment the reality hit him. Standing on an Icelandic mountaintop in 2018, he learned from a guide that the surrounding landscape — now bare rock — was once covered by the Okjokull glacier. The experience was breathtaking, but also heartbreaking, and it changed the way he thought about climate change.

Experts say last-chance tourism can be a force for good — if travellers act responsibly. The risks are real: heavy tourist traffic can damage already vulnerable ecosystems. The Great Barrier Reef has suffered its worst coral bleaching in history, parts of Venice are sinking under the strain of overtourism, and even Antarctica now faces invasive species and disease brought in by human visitors.

So how can you visit these endangered wonders without making things worse?

Environmental law professor Robin Kundis Craig suggests asking yourself three key questions:

Am I travelling in the most eco-friendly way possible?

Will my activities damage the site when I arrive?

What can I do to support conservation after I return home?

Tour guides are also playing a big role in making tourism sustainable. In Antarctica, operators like Aurora Expeditions limit landings, avoid sensitive wildlife areas, and involve tourists in citizen science projects — from tracking bird migrations to mapping debris. On the Great Barrier Reef, guides like Andy Ratter encourage visitors to stay longer, learn diving or snorkelling skills, and join reef-monitoring programs.

The principle is simple: people protect what they love. Seeing these places firsthand can inspire action — but only if we tread lightly, respect local guidelines, and support conservation efforts long after the trip is over.

If done right, last-chance tourism can give endangered destinations a fighting chance — and leave travellers with more than just memories. It can leave them with a mission.