MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tierra del Fuego claims a record cruise season with 503 calls and 220,000 people

The port of Ushuaia on a busy summer day

Argentine province Tierra del Fuego authorities have said that 2022/23, has been an excellent cruise season with a record 503 calls and a turnover of some 220,000 people between passengers and crew members. Expectations for the next season are even better with at least 591 calls anticipated.

The stats were announced by Deputy Governor Monica Urquiza, the head of Provincial Ports Roberto Murcia and Tourism Director, Dante Querciali, at

Government House where it was again underlined the record circumstances of the last cruise season.

Of the 503 calls, 52 involved bi-oceanic cruises and 451 Antarctica cruises, which was equivalent to 226,435 persons, pax and crew members in the period from October first to May first.

Ms Urquiza said the results were accomplished because of the joint efforts of government and the strategic private sector. Furthermore, “there were many questions about what was going to happen with the port, whether improving services by extending the peers and doing our best not to lose so many clients, something so important for the economy of the province. Well, with much effort and despite the pandemic we have been able to extend the peer 104 meters plus a 22 meters dolphin”.

The Deputy governor said Tierra del Fuego was most grateful to the federal government, to the national administration of ports and the Tourism Minister in the person of minister Matias Lammens, “Who has been most generous with us, with standing support to ensure that the tourism activity keeps advancing.”

The head of provincial ports Murcia said that although the planning of the next season 2023/24 is still open, “we already have 591 call requests, more than this season, which encourages us to continue along this path,” Besides there are infra structure works pending , with support from the private sector, and Tierra del Fuego will be present in several Seatrade Fairs and Exhibitions with direct access to owners and managers of cruise companies.

Finally Querciali, head of the Tourist Board pointed out to the significance of tourism for the extreme south province, and the incentive to continue investing. He also mentioned that this week the price and condition envelopes for a catamaran port lease will be opened, which is most significant. In effect the small vessels traffic is very important “with a circulation of over 200,000 tourists in a year”