MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands promotes investment in the tourist cruise sector

The Falklands receives some 56.000 cruise visitors during the summer season extending from October to April

In response to calls from the Falklands cruise sector the Falkland Islands Tourism Board (FITB) has launched a new grant scheme to encourage investment in the cruise sector. Executive Director of FITB Stephanie Middleton said “Cruise operators tell us that they are keen to see more options for visitors when coming on shore.

 “Also, by far the most common enquiry we get on our website is from people who are visiting the Falklands on a cruise and want to organize something directly with an operator on the Islands”.

The new Cruise Business Grant Scheme, which is an initiative of the Tourism Development Strategy, match funds business ventures up to a maximum of £10,000.

Ms Middleton said: “These need not be high investment business ventures. Well-organized pub-crawls, themed walking tours, fishing and golfing are all popular activities for cruise passengers. Many of them just want to get off the ship and do something we all might do at the weekend.”

Ms Middleton emphasized that whilst the largest volume of cruise passengers visit Stanley, and therefore the greatest range of opportunities lie there, the scheme is also open to applicants from camp.

Falklands unique wild life and environment has made tourism one of the main industries of the Islands, including 56.000 cruise visitors during the 2016 summer season. It must be remembered that the Falklands population does not exceed 3.300. (Penguin News)