LATIN AMERICA

LATIN AMERICA

As British travellers become more adventurous in their choice of holiday destination, Latin America enjoys increased popularity.

Latin lovers: UK holidaymakers are becoming more adventurous with their holiday tastes and are looking to travel to more exotic destinations, such as, Ecuador, top left, Costa Rica, top right, and Peru

The latest Government statistics show UK holidaymakers’ appetites for exotic holidays in Central and South America continues unabated.

The number of British people travelling from the UK to destinations outside North America and Western Europe rose to 6.7 million last year, from 4.4 million in 1995.

According to the Government report, Travel Trends, “the largest proportional growth in recent years was in visits to the more exotic locations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. The number of visits to these countries more than doubled between 1995 and 1999.”

Latin American Travel Association secretary Clare Antell said membership of the organisation, which promotes tourism to Latin America, has more than doubled in the last year to 126 members as companies realise there is a huge market to be tapped.

Increased media exposure and a more adventurous British public are behind the continued popularity of Latin America.

Specialist operators are also receiving more bookings from agents as they realise good commissions can be had from selling holidays to Latin America, which are relatively expensive at a time when they are being squeezed out of commissions from airlines.

Journey Latin America escorted tours manager David Nichols said: “Agents seem generally more confident to tackle Latin America enquiries from clients than they have done in the past, although there is still some reluctance due to lack of knowledge.”

Operators with a variety of products are also getting a lot of repeat custom.

Nichols said: “We are building up a number of regular clients who go year after year. Some have now been on as many as eight or nine trips.”

Top of the Latin league is Peru. The country remains popular in spite of the disturbances in Lima during the inauguration of President Alberto Fujimori, who has since resigned and fled the country following a high-level corruption scandal.

This year, a record 1.15 million people are expected to visit Peru.

Any bad publicity the country received as a result of the Fujimori scandal appears to have been cancelled out by the increased media exposure from programmes, such as the Andes to Amazon television series and mainstream holiday features.

Tailor-made department manager at Bales Steve Bray said: “Our bookings to Peru were certainly helped by a BBC Holiday programme, which we organised. Our only concern is that, because of its popularity, the rates might increase too much to sustain the growth. Costs have increased due to the current strength of the dollar.”

New to Peru this year is Sunvil. The company, which has carved out a niche in fly-drive options to Ecuador and Costa Rica, is also introducing car hire to its Peruvian itineraries. An 11-night escorted and self-drive tour, including a flight over the Nazca Lines, etched thousands of years ago in the Peruvian desert, will cost from £3,361. Tour operators are also seeing continued interest in Argentina and Chile, though the traffic is more seasonal as it is often too cold to visit the glaciers and lakes of Patagonia in the winter.

Seasoned Latin American travellers are seeking out new routes. Veloso Tours has found some takers for its Papillon tour of French Guyana.

It also offers the unique experience of seeing a rocket launch from the South American coast. The Kourou space centre launches about 10 times a year.

It is also possible to visit the Devil’s Island prison and see leather-back turtles hatching their eggs in the sand on the beach.

The 14-day tour costs from £1,481 per person, based on two sharing, including all flights, accommodation and some meals.

JLA says it too is getting enquiries for Guyana, whereas two years ago demand for the former British colony, the only place in South America where test cricket is played, was non-existent.

The cost of a typical tailor-made tour there, taking in the Kaieteur Falls – which are nearly five times higher than Niagara Falls – plus tours of the rainforest and savannah, starts from £2,400 per person based on two people sharing.