Schedules for the coming tourist season show a significant increase in the number of ships (11%) and visitors planning to visit South Georgia, and a consequent expected increase in tourist numbers (20%), according to the latest South Georgia Newsletter July release.
The number of cruise-vessel calls in Uruguayan ports has increased 9.3% so far in this 2012/13 season with an influx of 20 million dollars for the local economy revealed Deputy minister of Tourism Antonio Carambula during a primary evaluation of business vis-à-vis the 2011/12 results.
This year’s Falkland Islands season has been much quieter than usual with over 19.000 passengers to the first week of March mainly because of cancellations due to weather and technical issues with a handful related to the political situation created by Argentine harassment early on the season, according to industry sources in the Islands.
Representatives from the cruise industry have cautioned Uruguay that port operational costs in South America could have a negative impact on what has been a steady increase of business in the last few seasons and this impact could be felt as soon as next year despite the fact that the 2012/2013 season on the Atlantic is proving to be quite successful despite an uncertain start. “Itineraries’ costs in South America are three times those of the Mediterranean”.
The disruption of shipping and tourism in Argentina and the Falkland Islands reached the British Parliament and was addressed by Foreign Office officials who said the UK regrets the Argentine attitude but is also holding talks with international partners that share concerns about illegitimate interferences, and with the cruise industry.
P&O, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation Plc and one of the world’s leading cruise operators will be omitting Puerto Madryn, Ushuaia and Buenos Aires from its 2013 season because of the difficulties encountered by its red ensign vessels in Argentine ports during recent months. However the company confirms that the vessels will continue to call in the Falkland Islands.
The Argentine Government’s acts of intimidation towards cruise companies which have planned to visit the Falkland Islands continues to impact on the Islands tourism industry with a further two ships cancelling their February visits on Wednesday.
Argentina energetically rejected the UK complaint about alleged intimidation of vessels linked to Falklands/Malvinas activities as well as the awarding of squid licences in waters close to the South Atlantic archipelago.
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.
“Sea Spirit” with 94 passengers and heading for South Georgia was the first cruise ship of the 2011/2012 to call in the Falkland Islands, reports the Penguin News.