Falkland Islands Tourist Board Celebrates Most Successful Season Ever at Seatrade Cruise Shipping Miami

The Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB) will be exhibiting at Seatrade Cruise Shipping Miami (booth 1104) this year as its most successful season to date draws to a close.  The current season (October 2008 – April 2009) has seen over a 3 per cent cruise passenger growth over last year, with over 64,000 passengers expected by the end of the season.  A new record was set on February 6 when 4,053 visitors arrived on board cruise ships in one day.

The Falklands archipelago, made up of over 700 islands, is situated in the South Atlantic, about 300 miles from South America.  Cruising is the ideal way to discover the Falklands as it allows people to visit many sites that remain largely inaccessible to land-based tourists, all from the comfort of a world-class vessel. The Islands are now on the itineraries of 35 cruise operators, a number that is set to increase, and both cruise ships and expedition cruises visit as part of a wider South America or Antarctica voyage.

Passengers can experience the amazing wildlife and fascinating history of the Islands through a wide variety of shore excursions and tours. With walking, bird watching and battlefield tours, the Falklands remains popular with travellers looking for an off-the-beaten-track experience, and the Islands are tipped by experts as a world-class wildlife destination.

Tourism is the Falklands’ fastest growing industry and is experiencing strong annual growth in visitor numbers, primarily due to the increased popularity of Antarctic cruise ship itineraries that the Falklands can capitalise on.  In line with international cruising trends, the vast majority (33%) of cruise tourists to the Falklands come from the US. Other prominent markets among the 80 nationalities represented include the UK, Brazil, Canada and Germany.

Commenting on the recent success in the Falklands cruise industry, Jake Downing, General Manager of Falkland Islands Tourist Board said, "We are extremely pleased with the season to date and it is very encouraging that despite the current economic climate, the cruise market in the Falklands is so buoyant.  This demonstrates the growing popularity of the Falkland Islands as an integral part of cruise visitors’ itineraries."

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For further information on the Falklands Islands, please visit www.falklandislands.com and www.falklands.gov.fk. Media enquiries should be directed to Suzanne Holiday and Katie Liddell at Keene on 0207 839 2140 or falklandstourism@keenepa.co.uk.

Notes for editors:

·         The Falkland Islands have a raw, unspoilt quality that entices locals and tourists back time and again.  Visitors to the Islands are spoilt for choice with more than 227 species of identified birds (including several of the world’s largest endangered breeding colonies), as well as whales, dolphins, elephant seals, sea lions, delicate flora and rugged geographical formations.

      The best time to visit the Islands and experience the local culture and wildlife is October to April. The average summer temperature (December to March) is 15º Celsius (59º Fahrenheit) and the Falklands has more sunshine hours than the UK.