Antarctica tour operators are one of the main users of the waters around Antarctica and have a significant stake in keeping the Antarctic environment and ecosystems pristine in order to protect the natural values that make the Antarctic experience unique. This article examines the linkages between Antarctic tourism and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Southern Ocean, and argues that the explicit support of tour operators for the adoption of MPAs can have favourable outcomes for marine protection. In order to do this, Antarctica tour operators need take a more active – or less neutral – stand in support of MPAs.