MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
The Falklands ? A popular destination for South Atlantic Tourist.
According to a survey conducted by the Falkland Islands Tourist Board half of the cruise vessel passengers who take a cruise to Southern South Atlantic countries, do so because the Falkland Islands is on the itinerary.
The survey showed that around 30,000 people during the 2004/5 austral summer joined ships touring from Buenos Aires to Santiago because they saw that there would be a one-day stopover in the Falklands. The cruise also takes in a rounding of Cape Horn and cruising in the Beagle Channel and Straits of Magellan and fjords of Chile.
An amazing high number - 96% - of the several thousand visitors polled, said that they were either 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with the tours which they had undertaken while in the Islands. These included visits to see 5 species of penguins, including the unique King penguins, tours to the battlefields where the 1982 Falklands War was fought, and general tours of the town and countryside.
57% of those surveyed said that they were happy with the facilities which were available to them, while 64% thought that the information and approach of the Falklands tour guides and Customer Service staff was 'very good'.
The newly opened Visitors Centre on the front of the town received a massive 97% vote as being 'very satisfactory'.
Asked how a days visit to the Falklands might be improved, a vast majority of those polled requested 'decent coffee' and asked that the hotels and restaurants stay open longer into the afternoon, and not adopt the traditional British closing time of 2-00pm. Some tourists also throught that restaurant menus should 'feature more Falklands food on them', while others wished for 'more taxis and more private tour operators to be available at the dock side'. Others asked for cheaper internet access and the opportunity to use their mobile phones in the Islands. (Mobile phones are expected to be operational by Christmas 2005).
One of the most pleasing aspects of the survey was the high percentage - 43% - of cruise vessel passengers, who said that they would like to return to the Falklands.
Julian Morris, Head of the Falklands Islands Development Corporation, said, 'The feedback which we received from the survey was marvellous. It is obvious that we are doing the right things to ensure that those who visit the Falklands go away feeling very satisfied with their visit, and feel that they have made a wise choice in coming here'.
Connie Stevens, Director of Falkland Islands Tourism said that the results of the survey were 'very encouraging and rewarding, but that her department are still looking at ways to improve all aspects of facilities which are offered to all visitors to the Islands, including the cruise vessel passengers'.
The survey showed that 51% of those who visit the Falklands on cruise ships are from the United States of America, with Germany and Britain contributing about 11%.
The amount of money which each tourist spends during a days visit to the Falklands was higher than anticipated - on average £39 ($US70) per person.
During the forthcoming season, 2005/6, more than 60,000 people are expected to visit the Falklands on cruise vessels, which will make 179 calls to the Islands during the busy November - March period.
Patrick Watts ? MercoPress - Falkland Islands.
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