
Almost 30% more cruise visitors landed in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile, during the current 2015/16 season which is coming to an end. According to Chile's maritime migration officers, 109.746 cruise passengers and crew members were recorded, which represents a 29% compared to the previous season. The primary report was released by La Prensa Austral.

Great day of the British Overseas Territory of St Helena: the first jet aircraft landed at the recently concluded airport in the island located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The business jet was chartered by Air Safety Support International (ASSI) to bring its team of five personnel to St Helena to assess St Helena Airport.

French shipyard STX has secured an order for up to four more ships from MSC Cruises, in a 3.6 billion-Euro (US$4.1 billion) deal announced on Wednesday. MSC Cruises, part of privately owned shipping group MSC, has in recent years been the main customer for STX France, which is based at the Atlantic port of Saint-Nazaire.

The smallest but possibly most exclusive cruise liner to visit Gibraltar this year pulled into port on Thursday. The L’Austral, a French liner, is also the first to make an inaugural call this season. The captain of the ship, Olivier Marien, was met by the Minister for Tourism and the Captain of the Port on board.

Representatives from Gibraltar have attended the annual Seatrade Cruise Global Convention took place in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event, which took place between March 14-17, brings together professionals from in all aspects of the cruise industry, including cruise lines, ports and ground handlers.

The Falkland Islands community bid farewell to two Search & Rescue (SAR) helicopters today after over three decades of service. Both the two RAF Sea King helicopters were brought to the capital Stanley today for the local community to say goodbye, as well as meet the crew who man the aircraft. The new AAR helicopter, which will replace the existing RAF SAR service, was also present at the farewell today.

Singapore’s Changi Airport has been named the best airport in the world for the fourth consecutive year in Skytrax’s World Airport Awards. Changi, which bagged the top spot for the seventh time, also won for best airport for leisure amenities and was hard to beat with a rooftop swimming pool and spa, free 24-hour cinema, and even butterfly and cactus gardens.

Three mega luxury cruise liners – Oasis of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Costa Favalosa coincides this week with close to 14,000 passengers at the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis and, along with them, hopes of increased business for locals. The capital Basseterre and its environs were bustling with string-band musicians, taxi-drivers competing for tours, tourists soaking up the sun, restaurants and stores full of visitors, and vendors busily plying their trade.

An Argentine long distance runner has won the Falkland Islands Standard Chartered Stanley Marathon which is officially the World's Most Southerly AIMS-Certified Marathon. Rafael Lencina from the northern province of Tucuman completed on Sunday the 26 miles in 2 hours 35 minutes and 34 seconds, which is also a new record for the competition.

Every year on March 17, the Irish and the Irish-at-heart across the globe observe St. Patrick's Day. What began as a religious feast day for the patron saint of Ireland has become an international festival celebrating Irish culture with parades, dancing, special foods and a whole lot of green. Best wishes for a safe, happy & pleasant day of love, peace and joy.