Tourism

• Thursday, February 24th 2011 - 00:16 UTC

  Airlines face “very serious challenge” because of soaring oil prices, says IATA

  

  Surging oil prices due to political turmoil in the Middle East spell “very, very big challenges” for airlines, said International Air Transport Association chief Giovanni Bisignani on Wednesday.

• Wednesday, February 23rd 2011 - 19:04 UTC

  Chile slashes port operating costs for the cruise industry

  

  Chile announced Wednesday that cruise vessels operating in Chilean waters will benefit from significant rebates in port access and docking operations with the implementation of recent modifications to the ruling on rates and charges from the Maritime Transport and Merchant Navy Department.

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 16:39 UTC

  Weak dollar, strong peso batters Chilean tourism industry

  

  The tourism industry in Chile is going through a very bad moment with a notorious drop in the number of visitors in recent months claim the private sector and local councillors from the city of Viña del Mar, one of the country’s main sea resorts.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 14:42 UTC

  Expanded access facilities planned for Santiago’s international airport

  

  Chile’s Public Works Ministry (MOP) will invest 9.1 million US dollars to remodel infrastructure surrounding Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in order to reduce traffic and improve experiences for air travellers.

• Thursday, February 17th 2011 - 22:50 UTC

  London beats New York, Tokyo and Paris as the leading shopping city

  

  London has beaten New York, Tokyo and Paris to become the world's highest grossing shopping city.
  The UK capital, which boasts more big-name stores than any other, had the highest retail sales last year, with shoppers spending £62.4billion.

• Thursday, February 17th 2011 - 03:22 UTC

  International tourism influx to Argentina increased 27.1% during 2010

  

  The number of foreign tourists visiting Argentina jumped 27.1% in 2010 compared to the year before, while dollars spent increased 25.9% according to air and sea arrivals and City of Buenos Aires numbers compiled by the country’s Statistics and Census Office, Indec.

• Thursday, February 17th 2011 - 03:11 UTC

  TAM Airlines maintained its market leadership in Brazil

  

  The Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has published its operational data for the month of January 2011.

• Wednesday, February 16th 2011 - 19:25 UTC

  US Justice Department looking into Google’ plan to become hub of online travel

  

  Google wants to become the hub of online travel, promising better bargains and more convenience by melding the internet search leader's capability with the web's top airline-fare tracker, ITA Software.

• Wednesday, February 16th 2011 - 14:57 UTC

  New attempt in the US Congress for an Air Passenger Bill of Rights

  

  Airlines in the United States will carry a billion passengers a year by 2021, the Federal Aviation Administration predicted Tuesday raising the prospect of even more flight delays and complaints from the flying public.

• Wednesday, February 16th 2011 - 14:51 UTC

  Argentina’s first gay-lesbian cruise leaves Buenos Aires December 2011

  

  Argentina’s first official gay ‘Ego’ cruise will leave the port of Buenos Aires December 2011 and will be calling at Uruguay’s capital Montevideo and the international resort of Punta del Este, it was announced by organizers in the Argentine capital.