Thousands of passengers are facing long delays after airports in Scotland and Ireland closed because of a fresh cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland. Flights have been grounded in Glasgow, Prestwick and Derry since 0700 BST, while the airspace over Dublin, Belfast and Edinburgh has also since closed.
Falkland Islands land-based receptive tourist operators estimate that this season there was a 10% contraction in in-bound numbers compared with 2008/09. However bookings for 2010/2011 are back at good season levels, according to a report in the latest edition of the Islands weekly Penguin News.
Brazilians are hanging up their swimsuits and donning snowsuits for this year’s winter ski season in Chile. Ski resorts have built strong campaigns with Chilean operators, agencies and media to increase visits from Brazil to the country’s ski slopes.
Organizers have unveiled the route for the 2011 Dakar Rally which will start and finish in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires and include a section through Chile. The 33rd edition of the “the world's toughest motor-sport event” will be the third to be run in South America after concerns about terrorists moved the rally in 2009 from its traditional route through the Sahara desert in North Africa.
Jazz Air Income Fund has agreed to invest 15 million US dollars for an indirect stake in Uruguay's flagship carrier, Pluna. The fund behind Air Canada's regional affiliate, Jazz Air, said that it will get a one-third, non-voting interest in Latin American Regional Aviation Holding Corp., which owns 75% of Pluna Lineas Aireas Uruguayas. The remaining 25% of Pluna is held by the government of Uruguay.
The newest addition to the P&O fleet the magnificent Azura sailed into Gibraltar on Sunday. The 289.60 meter vessel with 17 decks high, carrying 2.816 passengers and 1.241 crew members arrived in port at 12:30hrs reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.
The Antarctica season beginning in November is likely to be the last one as it has been known. Proposed changes to the type of fuel ships are allowed to burn and carry in this fragile ecosystem have now become a reality, making the future of big cruise ships in Antarctica uncertain.
Air traffic disruptions caused by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland inflicted losses on the European tourism sector worth 2.3 billion dollars (1.7 billion Euros), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimated Friday.
Spanish tourism lost 252 million Euros over six days because of travel restrictions caused by the volcanic ash cloud which grounded air traffic in Europe, industry body Exceltur said on Wednesday.