Tourism

• Monday, December 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Damien Hirst Mexico vacation with SAS bodyguards

  Damien Hirst, the British artist with a personal fortune estimated in excess of 300 million US dollars has hired four personal bodyguards who are all former members of the SAS, British special forces.

• Sunday, December 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Forty days repairs for “Ushuaia” in Punta Arenas dry dock

  The Panamanian flagged cruise vessel Ciudad de Ushuaia that in early December ran aground close to the Antarctic Peninsula should be ready to resume her activities in 30/40 days time according to sources from Asmar Magallanes, the yard in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile where she is undergoing repairs.

• Thursday, December 25th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Four cruises and 8.000 visitors on one day in Punta del Este

  

  Uruguay's main sea side resort renowned Punta del Este received this week four cruise vessels simultaneously and although not all of the 8.000 passengers landed a significant percentage did make it ashore, establishing a record visit.

• Wednesday, December 24th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  South Georgia tourism ecosystem research project

  

  Two researchers, who are part of a joint Research Project by Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) and the Sub-Antarctic Foundation for Ecosystems Research (SAFER) spent three weeks at South Georgia Island in November for the start of a tourism monitoring project for the South Georgia Government.

• Tuesday, December 23rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean tourism expanded 6% in 2008 with 2.65m foreigners

  Tourism activity in Chile during 2008 has expanded 6% compared to the previous year according to Oscar Santelices, Chile's head of the Tourist Office, Sernatur.

• Monday, December 22nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Torres del Paine feeling global pinch and lack of promotion

  Chile's renowned Torres del Paine national park in Patagonia is also suffering the consequences of the global slowdown according to visitors numbers released by the regional Forestry and Parks Department, Conaf.

• Wednesday, December 10th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Colombia promotes tourism and joins the cruise industry

  

  The Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias became this week an intermediate boarding port for Royal Caribbean International Southern Caribbean cruise circuit which was marked with the arrival of “Enchantment of the Seas”.

• Monday, December 8th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Cruise vessel Ushuaia again sailing freed by Chilean navy

  

  Chilean Navy officials said that the cruise ship M/V Ushuaia that ran aground in Antarctica four days ago is again sailing on its own. Navy Captain Patricio Espinoza said Chilean tug-boat Lautaro finished freeing the cruise ship early Monday.

• Sunday, December 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Viña del Mar expects an “invasion” of 150.000 Argentines

  

  An estimated 150.000 Argentine tourists are expected to cross the Andes to enjoy the beaches of Viña del Mar in the coming months of January and February, which represents a 25% increase over last year's season according to Chile's Tourism Office, Sernatur.

• Thursday, December 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Cruise vessel with 122 pax and crew trapped in Antarctic ice

  

  The Panamanian flagged cruise vessel Ciudad de Ushuaia, with 122 people on board, called for help Thursday after getting stuck in the ice, suffering a fuel leak and letting in a “minimal” amount of water, the Argentine Navy said in Buenos Aires.