Falklands : Falkland Islands Tourist Board Predicts First Cruises for Stanley 2010/11
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 02.07.2010 (Article Archived on 16.07.2010)
Cruise ship companies have given the Falkland Islands Tourist Board the first indications on potential numbers of visits during the up and coming season of 2010/11.
Falkland Islands Tourist Board Predicts First Cruises for Stanley 2010/11
By J. Brock (FINN)
Cruise ship companies have given the Falkland Islands Tourist Board the first indications on potential numbers of visits during the up and coming season of 2010/11.
“Our preliminary schedule for the 2010/11 season indicates that there are currently 58 visits planned into Stanley from cruise ships that give a total capacity of 51,733 passengers, but! Only if they are operating at full capacity” say Paul Trowell, General Manager for the Falkland Islands Tourist Board. “It is important to remember that these passenger numbers are a best scenario forecast if the cruise ships manage to fill their passenger quotas” said Mr Paul Trowell, General Manager of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board. He went on to say “We are also expecting some more of the smaller expedition ships to confirm in the near future as well”
The Falklands Forecast, that is designed for inbound and domestic tourism demand in the Falkland Islands, which is calculated using an iterative process by drawing on a series of data sources does indicate that the number of cruise arrivals is expected to fall by over 16% in the 2010/11 season, mainly due to the withdrawal of the Norwegian Sun and Minerva. Consequently, around 40,000 passenger arrivals are in reality expected (compared to over 48,000 in 2009/10).
“The heavy fuel ban may be starting to show its impact in cruise to the Falkland Islands,” he said, going on to say that this “will change the pattern and form of Antarctic tourism” (Source: Summary Report on the Round Table Discussion on Antarctic Tourism, June 11, 2009, Providence, Rhode Island, USA) IAATO estimates the number of cruise-only passengers visiting Antarctic waters will drop from 15,531 to 6,400 once the ban takes effect.
“Early indications seem positive from the preliminary schedule but the industry has to remember this is early days yet and passenger numbers are yet to be confirmed. There are a lot of external issues out of our control that will affect cruise growth into the Falkland Islands in the future but what I can say is that the Falkland Islands Tourist Board and many local operators are working hard to attract new markets and build relationships with current and past cruise companies to assure we stay on their radar” said Mr Trowell.
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