With the new Bond film, Darwin’s bicentenary and a new Bruce Parry series set to boost Latin America, Joanna Booth discovers what’s new in the region
The new James Bond movie, the adventures of TV anthropologist Bruce Parry and next year’s 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth are all creating a buzz about Latin America at the moment.
Next year also heralds the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. The naturalist’s voyage to the Galapagos shaped his theory of evolution, and the celebrations will be a draw for visitors from across the globe.
The Adventure Company features the Galapagos islands in six of its trips, including three new programmes, and as an extension on seven further itineraries. South American Experience is offering walking tours of the Galapagos for the first time, Journey Latin America has a new 14-day programme around the islands and Collette Worldwide Holidays and Travel 2 twin the destination with Peru for new luxury escorted tours.
The Ecuador Tourist board plans to promote not only the islands, but also the Andean, Amazon and coastal regions of the mainland. Investment is being channelled into two new tourist routes. The Spondylus Route runs down the Pacific coast and visitors can enjoy beaches, water sports and whale watching here.
The Qapac Nian is the northern extent of the Inca Trail, with archaeological sites and hot springs. The Train to the Middle of the World runs across the country from sea level to 3,000 metres. It is currently being rebuilt after years of neglect. The first rejuvenated section opens next month.
Daniel Craig seems to get around a lot as James Bond, with many Latin American destinations trumpeting their connections to the English spy. Quantum of Solace viewers will have been stunned by landscapes and cities in Panama, Chile and Mexico. Journey Latin America has launched three Bond itineraries, one covering each country and taking visitors to sights they’ll recognise from the movie and hotels that were used as locations in the film.
TV adventurer Bruce Parry travelled the length of the Amazon river to film his most recent documentary for BBC Two. As a result, many operators are now predicting a renewed interest in tours exploring the jungle river basin.
Colombia is earmarked as one to watch by Travel 2, Explore and Exodus, all of which are launching new tours to the country.
New Latin America tours for 2009
Journey Latin America has new tours to up-and-coming destinations such as Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Guyana, plus new itineraries in Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
South American Experience has just launched a new brochure including river floating in the Bonito region of Brazil, mustering cattle in Patagonia, alligator spotting in the Amazon jungle and flying over Angel Falls in Venezuela.
Footloose is offering a number of new ‘In Depth’ tours in Latin America, including trekking in Patagonia, and the Oaxaca Pacific trek and the Baja-Copper Canyon
trek in Mexico.
Travel 2 has enhanced its Central America programme with tours to take in the Mayan highlights of the region, and has added a new 12-day Colombian programme.
Sunvil Latin America introduces the unspoilt Yungas region of Bolivia, features new lodges and safari camps in Costa Rica, Peru and Galapagos.
The Adventure Company has added a new style of trip for 2009: the ‘Hands On’ adventure. It is offering a turtle conservation trip in Costa Rica and Panama, and a Jungles and Jaguars programme in Guyana.
Cox and Kings is featuring Venezuela for the first time in 2009, and adding new itineraries in Mexico and Peru, plus a Grand Tour of Central America, through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Iberostar is opening its third hotel in Brazil, the five-star Praia do Forte.
Thomas Cook features new properties in Costa Rica and Mexico, new cruising tours in Antarctica and South America, and a voyage down the Panama Canal.
