Pluna, Uruguay’s flag carrier began this month commercial cargo flights between Santiago and Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile and has plans to incorporate passengers in the near future, reports La Prensa Austral.
Uruguay tops the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index in South America and is only second to Costa Rica in Latinamerica and ahead of Chile and Argentina. However Latinamerica’s best placed countries in the index which defines prosperity as wealth and wellbeing are in the thirties out of a total list of 104.
With the official tourist season starting on October 31, Chile’s main port Valparaíso tourism leaders say they are expecting 85.000 tourists cruise ship tourists this coming summer season. This figure is a considerable drop from previous years and could result in lower prices for tourism related services.
Brazil’s main opposition party demanded responsibility from President Lula da Silva in combating the wave of violence rocking Rio do Janeiro and which has left at least 35 killed in shootings with the drugs’ gangs that even downed a police helicopter.
The Falkland Islands Tourist Board this week launched the nation’s first ‘Tourism Satellite Account’ (TSA), a United Nations endorsed international standard for measuring the true economic impact of tourism.
The Chilean TAG service (an electronic toll road payment system) has been implemented in Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez airport in the Pudahuel borough, thus making it easier to enter and leave the international airport.
A trial of a scanner that produces naked images of passengers has begun at Manchester Airport, Britain. The authorities say it will speed up security checks by quickly revealing any concealed weapons or explosives.
An innovative and aggressive program to promote Chilean Tierra del Fuego tourism as its most dynamic industry is to be implemented between government, the private sector and international advisory organizations, according to reports in Punta Arenas La Prensa Austral.
Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile is anticipating a weaker cruise season for this 2009/2010 summer because of the global crisis. The number of calls is expected to drop 12.3% (17 less) totalling 79.950 passengers and 38.357 crew members, according to Punta Arenas Austral Port Authority, EPA.
As of this week the Mexican city of Puebla has a fleet of 35 “pink taxis” exclusive for women and driven by ladies, announced the local Communications and Transport Secretariat.