Tourism

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 08:15 UTC

  Ushuaia has received 58.000 cruise visitors since 15 September; “Queen Mary” expected next week

  

  An estimated 58,000 cruise visitors have landed in Ushuaia, extreme south of Argentina during the current 2015/16 season which took off last 15 September, according to the Tierra del Fuego Tourism Institute. The largest number was concentrated in January, with an estimated 25.000, and this weekend promises to be equally busy with several vessels calling with 10.000 passengers.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 06:24 UTC

  IAATO animated briefings for Antarctic visitors

  

  New videos have been developed by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) to brief travelers en route to Antarctica. They reinforce actions visitors need to take to ensure their visit is safe and environmentally sensitive.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2016 - 05:42 UTC

  Zika cancellations to be waived by cruise lines in the Caribbean

  

  Cruise lines have followed the lead of major airlines and begun waiving cancellation penalties for some customers booked on voyages to the Caribbean and other destinations affected by the fast-spreading Zika virus.

• Saturday, January 30th 2016 - 11:29 UTC

  Falklands/Chile weekly flight: LAN interested in having a larger aircraft

  

  An indication of interest has been forthcoming from Chile's flag carrier LAN in relation to bringing in a larger aircraft to cope with the volume of passengers and freight to the Falkland Islands.

• Thursday, January 28th 2016 - 05:50 UTC

  Airlines offering refunds to passengers booked to fly to countries with Zika cases

  

  Some airlines, including those serving the Caribbean, have started offering refunds to passengers who had been booked to fly to countries where cases of the Zika virus have been confirmed. United Airlines, American Airlines and British Airways are allowing passengers to back out of travel.

• Monday, January 25th 2016 - 09:56 UTC

  Tourists' arrivals grew 4.4% last year and forecasted to increase 4% this year

  

  International tourist arrivals grew by 4.4% in 2015 to reach a total of 1,184 million in 2015, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Some 50 million more tourists (overnight visitors) travelled to international destinations around the world last year as compared to 2014. 2015 marks the 6th consecutive year of above-average growth, with international arrivals increasing by 4% or more every year since the post-crisis year of 2010.

• Friday, January 22nd 2016 - 09:46 UTC

  As locals in Punta del Este, “we enjoy a dignified and happy life”

  

  London's The Guardian in an article credited to Oliver Balch argues that Punta del Este, Uruguay's main international summer resort has become a 'golden ghetto' for the rich where the poor can't afford staples or lodging. However Mayor Andrés Jafif openly disagrees with the reporting and argues that ”we might be poor (by European standards) but we are happy, we can live in Punta del Este, we have a good time, we surf, work and bask in beaches”.

• Wednesday, January 20th 2016 - 07:32 UTC

  Changes to the South Atlantic Air-bridge: Brize Norton-MPA Falkland Islands

  

  The Falkland Islands' government and the UK Ministry of Defense have announced that residents should be aware of recent changes to regulations related to travel on the South Atlantic Airbridge, Brize Norton/MPA.

• Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 10:31 UTC

  Dead fish and garbage in Rio's Guanabara Bay question Brazil's Olympic celebrations

  

  Thousands of dead fish washed up on the shores of Rio’s Guanabara Bay during the week, not far from where events are being held at this year’s Olympic Games, environmental officials said. The incident was the latest involving water quality in the bay, where sailing, open water swimming, and triathlon races are due to take place during the Games in August.

• Saturday, January 16th 2016 - 10:05 UTC

  St Helena and its new airport get ready for tourism take-off

  

  The Guardian Weekly has published a piece on prospects for St Helena with the opening of its international airport, most probably next May, and which is expected to turn the mid Atlantic's island economy, particularly with tourism, since none less that Napoleon Bonaparte spent his last years until his death, almost two centuries ago.