‘South
America represents a fantastic destination and itinerary prospect. It
has many established itineraries but a great deal more can be done,’
said Seatrade chairman Chris Hayman in welcoming delegates to the
convention at the Terminal de Cruceros Quinquela Martin Buenos Aires,
Argentina. Hayman added that the continent also holds great potential
as a source of passengers, a market that is already being tapped but
can grow much further.
Leaders from
lines including MSC
Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Costa Cruceros
and Iberocruceros joined officials from Argentina’s Port of Buenos
Aires and Inprotur, Chile’s Transport and Tourism Ministries,
Uruguay’s Ministry of Tourism, Ecuador’s Ministry of Tourism,
Proexport Colombia and Brazil’s EMBRATUR and ABREMAR, among other
industry stakeholders, to discuss opportunities and challenges
‘The
potential for cruising in this region is enormous,’ said Adam
Goldstein, president and ceo of Royal Caribbean International. He
cited South America’s ‘fantastic history and culture, and amazing
places to see, many of them along the coast.’ Plus, thanks to the
strong economies in the region, South America is an appealing source
market for cruisers.
But
Goldstein pointed to competition from other regions and urged
countries to ‘work together to create the best possible business
conditions for the industry to grow,’ and said: ‘We need better
infrastructure in the region and a lower cost environment,’ a
sentiment echoed by other cruise
line speakers.
Noting
how Buenos Aires—which sports a new cruise terminal, built in
2010—has grown rapidly in the cruise sector in a very short
period, MSC Cruises ceo Pierfrancesco Vago expressed
his hope that the Argentine government and regulators take notice of
the industry’s strong economic impact, with passenger spending
averaging 900 pesos (US$195).
Capt.
Sergio Borrelli, president of the Port Authority of Buenos Aires,
said that bringing together regional cruise stakeholders in an
association ‘will be crucial for the industry.’
‘Brazil
needs other countries to make an appealing itinerary,’ agreed
Ricardo Amaral, president of the Brazilian Cruise Association
(ABREMAR). Noting that Brazil’s cabotage cruise business has an
economic impact of 1.3bn reais (US$814m) and creates 22,000 direct
and indirect jobs, he called on countries like Argentina, Uruguay,
Chile and Colombia to conduct their own research to show governments,
the media and the public what the cruise industry means for their
economies.
Leonard
Boto Alvarez, executive director
of Inprotur, noted his country is now South America’s leading
international tourist destination, and said cruising holds much
promise. He cited the possibility for river
cruise tourism, and the further development of
Antarctica cruises from Ushuaia.
At
the conference, Seatrade's Chris Hayman presented Chile’s
Undersecretary of Tourism Jacqueline Plass Wähling with the first
Seatrade South America Award to acknowledge her activity in fostering
cruising.
Seatrade
South America is taking place at the Quinquela Martin Cruise Terminal
in Buenos Aires and continues on Tuesday with more conference
sessions, an exhibition and a travel agent day. More than 200 agents
are registered for training.
Seatrade
South America Cruise Convention returns in 2013, May 15-16 in Chile.
