
The 2015/16 cruise season has taken off in Argentine Tierra del Fuego with the arrival on Monday, of 'Ushuaia' and 90 passengers, one of the 331 calls which are estimated according to Ushuaia authorities. Gianfranco Guardamagna head of the Tierra del Fuego Tourism Institute recalled the significance of the cruise industry for Ushuaia, since the austral city commands 95% of all international Antarctic tourism.

Field staff from the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operations (IAATO) and the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) got together in Toronto last month in the first Polar field staff conference ever held. Seventy-five people attended over the three days representing 24 IAATO/AECO members, three governments, three universities and the World Wildlife Fund.

Reports of escalating crime in the Caribbean have renewed the debate about how it affects the millions of cruise ship passengers and other tourists who visit the region each year.

Falkland Islands Holidays represented by Jenny Luxton and Sue Smith attended the 39th Annual Travel Mart Latin America Tourism Business Development event in Guatemala this year.

Breaking news from the Falkland Islands Tourist Board office in London. Tony Mason, Director of International communications has announced the Falkland Islands has WON the award for the second year in a row for “Best Destination for Wildlife and Nature” in the Selling Travel Magazines, “Agents Choice Awards.”

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced this week the creation of the Nazca-Desaventuradas Marine Park, giving Chile claim to the largest marine reserve in the Americas -- as well as the Easter Island Marine Park, which will be the third-largest fully protected marine area in the world.

Tierra del Fuego Tourism Institute (Infuetur), in extreme south Argentina, is expecting 25% more cruise visitors this 2015/16 season, most probably breaking the 100.000 milestone, with 336 calls involving 47 cruise vessels. The estimate is 112.170 passengers by April 2016, of which 79.486 non Antarctic and 36.684 Antarctic visitors.

British Overseas Territory St Helena is closer to the official opening of its airport following a series of calibration flights by the first aircraft to successfully land and takeoff from the mid Atlantic island.

Marking the observance of World Tourism Day, senior United Nations officials are spotlighting the transformative potential of one billion tourists and their increasing capacity to help boost socio-economic and environmental development.

The poles are combining forces in Toronto next week at a unique conference for polar field staff organized by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) in collaboration with its sister organization in the Arctic, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO).