International tourist arrivals grew by 5% during the first half of 2013 compared to the same period of 2012, reaching almost 500 million, according to data just released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Growth was above the projection made at the beginning of the year (+3% to +4%) and is also exceeding the trend of the UNWTO long-term outlook Tourism Towards 2030 (+3.8% a year).
Lan Chile went to court in Argentina on Monday to appeal its eviction from a hangar at the metropolitan Buenos Aires Aeroparque airport, which is a crucial element of its national and regional operations. Several unions have anticipated that if the eviction is not stopped they will go on strike and interrupt domestic flights.
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro has said it is a shame his city will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2016 because Brazil lacks a sports policy. Eduardo Paes said that his city should not pay for high performance athletes.
An auction to privatize airports in Rio and Belo Horizonte, two host cities for the 2014 World Cup, will be held on October 31, Brazilian authorities have announced.
The recent Confederations Cup football tournament helped boost international tourist income to Brazil to record levels in the first half of the year, according to the latest stats from the Brazilian Tourist Board, Embratur.
Uruguay extended for another twelve months the VAT bonus for those tourists who pay for purchases, lodging and rents with debit cards. The measure was announced this week by Deputy cabinet chief Diego Canepa following a full ministerial meeting and in anticipation of the coming 2013/14 summer season.
Thousands of Brazilian airport workers went on strike on Wednesday to demand higher wages, although contingency plans kept flights running on time, according to state airport agency Infraero. The workers' union is pressing for a roughly 16% salary bump along with improved benefits such as childcare.
Argentina’s state-run airline and flag carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas announced this week it will resume its direct flights to New York that were terminated five years ago. On December 15, the company will be offering a daily flight from Ezeiza airport to New York’s John F. Kennedy airport.
Aurora Expeditions are set to shake up the traditional Antarctic cruise itinerary with the launch of an exciting new ‘Antarctic Gateway’ in their 2014/15 Antarctic program. The Chilean port and nature haven of Puerto Williams will be used as an alternative to the usual Argentinian port of Ushuaia, with voyages either starting or ending on the eco-rich Navarino Island along the Chilean banks of the Beagle Channel.
A court in Italy has convicted five people of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia shipwreck off Giglio Island which killed 32 people in January 2012. Two officers, the helmsman, the head of cabin service and the head of the crisis team were given up to two years and 10 months in jail for multiple manslaughter, negligence and shipwreck.