MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires City forecasts record cruise season

Argentina expects a record cruise season this 2006/07 summer with a scheduled 87 calls and 130.000 visitors which is over 15% compared to last year's performance of 108.000 visitors.

Last week the arrival of Nordnorge to Buenos Aires signaled the beginning of this year's season which is making Buenos Aires a hub for South Atlantic, Patagonia and Antarctic cruises.

"South America is fully integrated to the tourist cruise international circuit, and in the region Buenos Aires plays a leading role given its socio-cultural heritage and geographic location which makes her a starting point both north towards Brazil and south to Chile", reads a report from Buenos Aires City Tourist Office.

The report underlines that the cruise season represented an estimated 30 million US dollars boost to the city's economy and this summer in the peak of the season, 10.000 visitors from five different vessels will be landing on the same day.

This kind of scenarios and the growing year round tourist industry which is booming in Buenos Aires have led city authorities to consider an alternative plan which is removing all cargo transit from the port leaving it exclusively for passenger traffic.

However, "this is not so easy, and besides the port of Buenos Aires comes under federal jurisdiction", admit Buenos Aires City authorities.

Cruise vessels leaving Buenos Aires are also attracting a growing number of Argentines, particularly those heading north to enjoy Brazilian beaches.

Buenos Aires City statistics show that Argentines with 17% of total traffic in the 2005/06 season were only behind US travelers 24%; Brazilians 11.9%; UK 11.8%; Mexicans 5.6% and Canadians 5.4%.

Visiting several cities, comfort, five stars service, no dependence on flights and transport to airports are some of the reasons forwarded by cruise travelers.

Maximo Conterno from Italian MSC Cruises points out that the "cruise market in Argentina is soaring because people compare what they would have to spend in a sea resort and realize it's cheaper and more relaxing to cruise".

However Argentine travelers are most austere than their European, American or Mexican counterparts: while these spend an average of 180 US dollars per day, Argentines average 70 US dollars