By guest blogger Steve Newman.The future’s bright for The Falkland Islands Tourist Board, which has just announced its latest tourism forecast for the 2010/11 season.
And the rise in cruise ship visits continues apace. The Falklands are anticipating a growth of 1.3% in cruise passenger arrivals for the current season (October to April), with 49,011 expected to visit. These statistics dovetail with the global upswing in cruising - 1.77 million people are expected to take a cruise next year, according to the latest figures released by the Passenger Shipping Association.
A total of 29 ships are scheduled to call at the Falkland Islands this season as an integral part of wider South America or Antarctica itineraries, comprising both expedition vessels and large cruise lines. The Falklands also welcomes four new vessels to its shores this season, including Le Boreal and Marina Svetaeva.
“Today’s cruise passengers are seeking authentic experiences in relatively undiscovered locations. The Falklands offers just this, plus wildlife in abundance and our latest tourism forecast demonstrates the increasing popularity of this destination,” commented Paul Trowell, General Manager for the Falkland Islands Tourist Board.
For more information on the Falklands, visit http://www.falklandislands.com/ or, if you want to cruise there, have a look at cruise specialists The Cruise Line Ltd.
Very timely article, Steve, as we have a special feature on the Falklands in the next edition of World Cruising, which comes out later this week. This is definitely a growing niche destination, with a lot of cruise appeal, and is well worth considering in 2011.
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