Tourism

• Tuesday, July 17th 2012 - 19:07 UTC

  Mexican group sells 15 Caesar Park hotels in South America to French operator

  

  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.

• Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:12 UTC

  Tourist arrivals in Chile up 15% in first half of 2012: Argentina, Brazil lead

  

  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.

• Thursday, July 12th 2012 - 07:23 UTC

  Boom year for the Falklands’ tourism industry propped by the war’s anniversary

  

  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.

• Tuesday, July 10th 2012 - 21:53 UTC

  IAATO helps with checklists for assessing Antarctic land bases and yachting expeditions

  

  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).

• Friday, July 6th 2012 - 06:39 UTC

  Uruguay’s flag carrier Pluna “indefinitely grounded” and most staff redundant

  

  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.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 21:32 UTC

  Buenos Aires expects 168 cruise calls this season up from 158 in 2011/12

  

  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.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 21:23 UTC

  Buenos Aires to host South America Seatrade cruise convention next September

  

  The second Seatrade South America Cruise Convention is scheduled to take place at the Quinquela Martin Cruise Terminal, Buenos Aires, Argentina next September 10-11. The event is organised in close partnership with the host port and Inprotur, the Argentine National Institute of Tourism Promotion.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 19:32 UTC

  Cruise passengers main complaint in Uruguay: prices; the best, the people

  

  High prices was the main disapproval from cruise passengers visiting Uruguay this last summer 2011/12 despite the fact the number of calls was up 31% and expenditure 57% according to the final balance of the cruise season elaborated by the Ministry of Tourism.

• Wednesday, July 4th 2012 - 19:00 UTC

  HMS Dragon joins P&O cruise fleet parade on the company’s 175th anniversary

  

  She is normally known as quite a large warship, but HMS Dragon was dwarfed by seven liners in the Solent. The Type 45 destroyer’s crew stood in ceremonial uniform as the full P&O cruise fleet passed them as they marked the company’s 175th anniversary.

• Monday, July 2nd 2012 - 05:48 UTC

  Gay cruise vessel banned from Casablanca forced to dock in Malaga

  

  The cruise ship “Nieuw Amsterdam” on its present voyage catering to gay clients docked Sunday in Malaga, south of Spain, after Moroccan authorities prohibited it from making its scheduled port of call in Casablanca.