ARGENTINA
Golf grows as Argentinean tourist attractiveness
The executive secretary of the National Institute of Tourist Promotion affirmed that the golf is among the tourist niches of major growth in Argentina and in the United Kingdom and it is one of the main markets in this sector. From Salta Mountains in the north of the country passing by Buenos Aires in the south to the end of the world in Patagonia, Argentina has 300 fields to satisfy all the golferโs pleasures. Also, there are other 15 courses of first category currently under construction, some of them designed by Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Greg Norman and Marck Adams.
Howard Johnson has expanded
The Howard Johnson chain will place a hotel in Vicente Loฬpez in the suburbs of Buenos Aires and before the end of the year this will fix other four inaugurations. In Vicente Loฬpez, the establishment will have 18 floors and 450 rooms and its building will have an investment of US$90 million. For the rest of the year, the chain affirmed openings of new hotels in Formosa, Coฬrdoba, Zapala (Neuqueฬn) and Riฬo Tercero (Coฬrdoba).
URUGUAY
IVA will be returned to tourists
The government approved the returning of 85.97 percent of IVA for nonresident tourists who buy national products more than US$60 in a same shop which will be used or consumed abroad, in Uruguay. The mechanism would be in force in October when the promotion will start to the new summer season. Products have to be labeled with the inscription โMade in Uruguayโ, โUruguay Industryโ or other equivalent.
Season of whales seeing began
Uruguay have recently begin officially the season of Frankish southern lands whales seeing, in order to take advantage of cetaceans dozens in the coasts of the east of the country. The natural show will be extended until October.
BRAZIL
Airports of Galeao and Guarulhos will be able to receive A380
The president of Infarero informed that the airports of Galeao (RJ) and Guarulhos (SP) will be adapted to receive the A380. In Galeao, a third floor will be constructed in one of the terminus for passengers and the track will be enlarge, while in Galeao , the track of taxis will be also modified.
Rio de Janeiro wants a U2 for the end of the year
The secretary of Tourism informed that the Coast Guard is negotiating with the producers of U2, a free presentation of the Irish group on Copacabana beach for the end of the year.
Hotel rooms in Isla de Pascua are sold out one year before of the sun eclipse
On July 11th, 2010, a total eclipse will leave Isla de Pascua in semidarkness; this placed is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where there are not more hotel reservations to one year of the astronomical show. The eclipse will get dark during 4 minutes and 45 seconds the Oriental zone of the Polynesia where Isla de Pascua is. The event got excited tourists and scientific inhabitants, around the world, who have made reservations of the 1,500 hotel rooms that the island offers.
CHILE
Caral will double the number of visitors
After the Declaration of the Sacred City of Caral-Supe as a humanity cultural heritage by Uneso, it is expected to double the number of visitors that come attracted to know traces of the first civilization of America placed in the province of Lima, Barranca and it plans to close the year with 90 thousand visitors. Caral belongs to the archaic period late (3,000 to 1,800 years before Christ). This is located in Valle de Supe to 158 kilometers to the north of Lima. This is one of the settlements identified in the valley and it has an extension of 66 hectares approximately.
PERU
LAN will fly to Cali via Quito
LAN PERU adds Cali (Colombia) as a new international destination which people will be able to arrive three times a week via Quito from August 15th in Airbus 319, with capacity for 144 passengers.
TACA duplicates flights to Cusco
Since August 15th, Taca airlines will double its operation to Cusco offering two daily flights from and to Lima. This new flight will leave from Lima at 10:15 am, returning from Cusco at 1:25 pm.
Cadena Aranwa will invest US$36.5 million in five new hotels
The Vice-President of Operations stated that Aranwa Hotels, Resorts& Spas will invest US$36.5 million until 2013 in five new hotels, in the south circuit of the country in the departments of Cusco, Arequipa, Puno and Ica, . The company wants to operate seven hotels in the next five years, all of them with a marked health concept and spa. The investment more approach belongs to the construction of a five star hotel in the city of Cusco with 41 rooms and with a cost of US$8 million.
ECUADOR
Galaฬpagos between the 28 finalist of the new 7 natural wonders
The Foundation New 7 Wonders mentioned the results of โThe New 7 Natural Wonders of the Worldโ competition. Galaฬpagos Islands and Amazonia passed to the final phase of the competition.
COLOMBIA
International arrivals grow 9.4 percent
Colombia received 638,000 foreign visitors in the first semester, 9, 4 percent more than in the same period of 2008 according to the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. According to the minister of industry, these data affirmed that crisis did not stop the tourist growth in Colombia while in the world; the tourism decreases 8 percent due to the current economical crisis
IHG will open six hotels more
To the recent inauguration of the Holiday Inn Express Hotel, in the north of Bogotaฬ, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) adds other projects of the signature in Bogotaฬ. The growth plan plans to build between five and six hotels more in Bogotaฬ, another one in Medelliฬn, one in Cartagena and other in Barranquilla.
PANAMA
Hotels will reduce costs until 25 percent
Before the fall of the hotel activity during the first five months of 2009, the government and the private sector consider a contingency plan which contemplates cuttings until 25 percent in the hotel and restaurants prices, besides companies that renders services to tourists. The authority of Tourism from Panama indicated that to this initiative have added 20 hotels, 12 operators of tourism and several gastronomical establishments. It is planed that the respective discount comes into force on August 1st and this will be lasted until October 31st.
COSTA RICA
Riu builds a hotel in the north of the Pacific
Riu invests US$150 million in its first hotel in this country which expects to inaugurate in November on a beach of the north of the Pacific. The five star hotel will have 701 rooms and this will be placed in a land of 380 hectares in Matapalo beach to 285 kilometers to northwest from San Joseฬ which will be only built in 19 hectares. In the same land it is planned the building of the second level of five star too, under the brand Palace.
MEXICO
Ciudad Mujeres will be the new Mexican spa
Authorities of the zone stated that Mexico plans to build in the Caribbean, a spa with more than 50,000 hotel rooms and dozens of thousand of houses which could compete in Cancuฬn. The plan, to 30 years, is building Ciudad Mujeres, Nuevo Destino del Sol and beaches above 15,500 hectares of lands placed in 25 kilometers to the north of Cancuฬn. Hotels, condominium towers, thematic parks and golf courses will be built.