In what is seen as another step of Argentina’s noose-tightening of the Falkland Islands’ economy and development, the Buenos Aires Province Senate passed a law on Thursday banning British flagged vessels from calling at Argentina’s largest province ports.
Chile’s Under Secretary for Tourism Jacqueline Plass reported that the arrival of Brazilian tourists had soared 30% in the first half of the year, attracted mostly to the ski centres along the Andes Mountains and to Patagonia.
In anticipation of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, Brazil has decided to simplify foreign money exchange for residents and tourists through the use of specific automatic cashiers in pre-determined places.
The new managing director of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board Tony Mason says that Stanley needs a 5 star hotel and anticipates a boom in tourism to the Islands in the next five years.
Mexican hotel operator Grupo Posadas said Monday it reached an agreement to sell its properties and management contracts in South America to French hospitality company Accor for 275 million dollars.
Chilean Tourism Under Secretariat head Jacqueline Plass made a positive balance of tourism activity during the first half of the year with over 1.85 million foreign arrivals, a 15% increase over the same period a year ago.
Tourist arrivals to the Falkland Islands are expected to increase by 14.9% in 2012, with a significant 28.8% jump in the number of leisure visitors, mainly driven by the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.
Safe and environmentally responsible travel to the Antarctic featured prominently in the official press communiqué issued at the 35th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM XXXV), which concluded June 20 in Hobart, Australia. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP XV).
Uruguay’s flagship carrier Pluna said on Thursday that is was “suspending all flights indefinitely” and announced that 720 of the 900 staff would be sent on unemployment pay until a new associate for the company is found or the airline is definitively sold.
Buenos Aires expects 168 cruise calls in the 2012/13 season, according to Terminales Río de la Plata, up from 158 calls in 2011/12. National Geographic Explorer is booked as the first arrival, on Oct. 21, with Splendour of the Seas to wrap the season on April 15.