MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Highly positive” cruise 2011/12 season for Uruguay with 213 vessel calls

Japanese flagged ‘Asuka II’ on a world tour closed the season

As “highly positive” was described the 2011/12 cruise season by Uruguay’s Deputy Tourism minister Lilian Kechichian during the ceremony in the port of Montevideo to receive the last vessel of the season.

According to the figures released by Ms Kechichian’s office 213 vessels called in two of the countries main cruise harbours, Montevideo and Punta del Este which represents something like 300.000 tourists.

Although the figures still need a last review, Kechichian anticipated that 2013 will bring an even higher number of vessel calls both in Montevideo and Punta del Este, and expects to include as an alternative for smaller cruises the port of Colonia.

The former Portuguese enclave still conserves its original old town construction and is only two and a half hours ferry distance from Buenos Aires.

Ms Kechichian revealed that in the four months December-March, Uruguay received 1.6 million tourists which are estimated to have injected 1.3 billion dollars to the local economy.

The last cruise of the season was ‘Asuka II” a Japanese flagged vessel, manned by Japanese and with all passengers Japanese on a world tour.

‘Asuka II’ left Yokohama on April 2, and is expected to return to Japan July 7. Since 2006 the vessel is involved in the same cruise and this time arrived in Montevideo with a crew of 470 and 550 passengers.

A special show of music, dance and typical food was displayed for the Japanese tourists plus the official reception by Uruguayan authorities to celebrate the arrival of ‘Asuka II’ for a full day stay.

Japanese ambassador in Montevideo Kanichi Sukuma said that Mercosur has a tourism office in Tokyo which promotes tourism to the region but he underlined said his job is also to encourage Uruguayan tourists to visit Japan.