The number of foreign tourists who entered the country increased by 9.7% in January, with 259,265 tourists arriving and 112,034 leaving the country. The total movement of tourists involved 10.2% more people than in January of 2007. The average stay was 16.9 days and average expenditures were US$ 81.6.

The investment group led by the Argentine developer bought a 47.5 hectare plot of land on the shore of Lake Perito Moreno for US$ 14.5 million, where a 140 room luxury hotel will be constructed with an investment of US$ 70 million.

The first of the seven aircraft which Pluna purchased arrived at the Carrasco International Airport. In January 2009, Pluna will receive the seventh aircraft, thus becoming the airline with the most modern fleet in South America. The investment for the purchase of these aircraft is US$ 177 million.

After the country’s aerial seclusion, there are possibilities of significantly expanding the offer of flights due to the return of Pluna, the beginning of operations of the Aerorregional Paraguay and Aerosur Paraguay companies, as well as the arrival of Avianca, Copa and Taca. Likewise, TAM plans on expanding its connections, as indicated by the deputy director of International Air Traffic of the Dinac.

GOL announced that it increased its orders from Boeing by 40 aircraft and that it will put a plan into action to accelerate the modernization and renewal of its fleet. The airline signed a new contract with expected deliveries of between 2012 and 2014, bringing its total amount of orders to 161 pieces of equipment.

Last week, LAB received the airworthiness certificate for a Boeing 727-200 with which it hopes to resume operations before the end of this month. At first, LAB would operate with this Boeing 727 and gradually incorporate new aircraft into its fleet, until all six with which it intends to fly as of next June are incorporated.

As a result of new investments in the hotel industry and strategies to promote Peru abroad, Lima would receive approximately 2,723,000 tourists in 2012, an increase of 91% with respect to last year, when it received 1,425,000 visitors, the CCL indicated. They added that there are 54 new hotel construction projects and 17 more for redesigning and expanding those already existing throughout the country. These projects would be carried out in the medium term, with an investment of US$ 500 million.

The National Government accepted the proposal suggested by the Opain consortium. The new international airport will be ready in 2012, pending the definition of the exact value of the new construction works. On March 20th, the second stage of construction should begin.

The Dominican Republic has beat historical records in tourism during the winter season, reaching 725,238 visitors during the first two months of 2008, signifying an increase of 9.14% compared to the previous year.

The private villa of Baracoa has among its nautical proposals an option for those interested in tourist attractions. In April 2003, the Nautical Club of Rumbos began this initiative with trips on the area’s waters. On this route, geographical accidents such as the Yara Terraces are pointed out; this being a site of great archaeological and speleological interest.

Large European and Latin American emissive and receptive tour operators will carry out a special collaboration with retail travel agencies this coming May 31st and June 1st, 2008 in Torremolinos (Costa del Sol), Spain. It will be in the framework of the 3rd Latin American and European Fair of Tourism, Art and Culture, ‘EUROAL’ that will be held in this Spanish city, and which will bring together the main tourism promoting institutions and entities of Latin America. More...

El Calafate lays on the southern shore of Argentino Lake, 315 km away from Río Gallegos, capital city of the province of Santa Cruz, and 80 km away from the entrance to Los Glaciares National Park. Read more...