Lufthansa is developing a new strategy to increase its market participation in South America. In addition to the implementation of a direct route between Buenos Aires and Frankfurt as from October 28th, there will be an increase in first class and executive seats.

The United States Transport Department approved American Airline’s request to fly the Chicago-Buenos Aires route. The flights will begin on December 13th with a Boeing 767/300 for 219 passengers. Therefore, American goes on to have five daily flights –the others are two to Miami, one to Dallas and another to New York- among other countries.

Club Med will extend the All Inclusive concept as from November in its Brasil properties – including the one in Cabo Frio which will be inaugurated in 2008- covering bar services and snacks. Club Med will hire a Gol aircraft in the season for its three hotels; there will be a weekly flight from Rio de Janeiro to Porto Seguro and two which will cover the Sao Paulo-Porto Seguro-Salvador route. The flights will begin on December 29th and will conclude in the last week of March.

Carnival announced that as from January, 2009 it will include South America in its route and consequently the first cruiser that will arrive will be the “Carnival Splendor”, a ship of 114.000 tons and 3.000 passengers that will have routes between Brasil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru. This is one of the largest cruisers that is part of the fleet.

Five private and one national airline will shortly be competing in the national aeronautical market to transport people and cargo in Bolivia. AeroSur, Amazonas and Aerocon are up to this moment the only private national companies that operate in the Bolivian airspace. It was announced that soon Aerolíneas Sudamericana will begin operations and Aerolíneas Bolivianas will enter as from December. This latter will be State administered.

Important personalities of the bird watching sector recognized Peru as one of the most attractive destinations for this activity. This due to the appointing of the promotional site directed by PromPeru as “Best Country Presentation” in the recent British Birdwatching Fair. This is the most important event in this sector and is held annually in Rutland, England.

Avianca will enter the country’s hotel and tourism industry, for which the corresponding analysis are being done, as pointed out by the Sydney group president and owner of the airline. At the end of May, Avianca announced the purchase of 38 Airbus and three more through leasing. Additionally, there is an option to buy another aircraft. At the end of March, it informed about the purchase of 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliner, to cover transatlantic and long distance routes in the continent.

The fifth edition of the International Tourism in Ecuador Show –FITE- will take place between September 6th and 9th in the new Guayaquil Convention Center. This annual meeting has become the nucleus of the touring business of Ecuador. Representatives from 45 countries are expected.

In the last five years, Copa airlines invested US$ 700 million to consolidate its “Hub of the Americas”; this year it hopes to add US$ 344 million to this amount and another US$ 260 million in 2008. With the new investment, the company expects to have a fleet of 37 aircraft in December and more than 1000 connections, the most part in Latin America, to service 41 destinations. To achieve better connections, Copa is negotiating its incorporation to the Sky Team, which would become valid on September 1st.

Baracoa, the first town in Cuba founded by the Spaniards, consolidates itself as the principal tourist destination in the Guantanamo province. Since its opening to international tourism in 1990 up to date, more than 500.000 foreign holiday makers have arrived. Around 21.500 foreign visitors have passed through the town since January. The Baracoa tourist development program foresees investments with a view to construct the Liberation and Malecon Uno hostels in the town. Also, some four thousand additional rooms will be implemented in the Maguana and Cajuajo beaches, in Baracoa’s western and eastern coasts, respectively.

The first regional airline could begin to operate in Mexico as from 2008, with which relatively near destinations could be linked and larger scale tours would be facilitated. This would be the beginning of the third leg of national aviation, after the launching of the low cost airlines. This airline will offer the possibility of foreign tourists traveling to Cancun and San Cristobal, Palenque, Chichen Itza and back to Cancun to return to their country.

In a recent trip to Chile, among other things, to revisit Santiago, Puerto Mont and Puerto Varas – where I hadn’t gone more than 12 years ago – and I traveled to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine for the first time. I also visited hotels, not only to see those hotels recently remodeled, but especially to know some of the new businesses.

I was especially impressed by two new hotels: the flamboyant Melia Patagonia, in Puerto Varas, and the brand new Remota, in Puerto Natales. READ MORE