Falklands shore excursion operator wins top cruise award

Bluff Cove Lagoon Tour, one of the Falkland Islands most popular excursions for cruise passengers, has scooped the award for ‘Innovative Shorex Award of the Year’ at the 2009 Seatrade Insider Cruise Awards.

 

Owners and operators of the Bluff Cove Lagoon Tour – Hattie and Kevin Kilmartin – picked up the prestigious tourism award at last night’s award ceremony in Hamburg. They fought off competition from Intercruises – Treasure Hunt in Sidi Bou Said, and Tura Turizm – Oriental Trends, Istanbul.

 

The accolade was awarded to a company or individual who has created, sourced or introduced an innovative shore excursion over the past 12 months. The Bluff Cove Lagoon Tour, increasingly popular with visitors arriving in the Falklands onboard cruise ships, is an experience not to be missed, with passengers being pampered from pier to penguins and back again.

 

“The tour is now so much more than just a penguin tour,” says Hattie Kilmartin, “it is also a fabulous combination of Falklands hospitality and the Islands’ characterful heritage. Over the last season we have introduced live music at the Sea Cabbage Café as well as live demonstrations of spinning with the local wool.  We have also added to the delicious local flavours on offer in the café with barbecues of Bluff Cove lamb.  Having enjoyed a very successful 2008/2009 season, we remain determined to continue to exceed the expectations of our guests.”

 

Kevin Kilmartin said of the win “I am delighted that the excellent work of Hattie and her dedicated Bluff Cove team has been recognised by the international cruise industry.”

 

The Falkland Islands is an increasingly popular port of call in the cruise market, allowing passengers unrivalled access to penguins and other amazing wildlife plus miles of uninterrupted natural beauty. About an hour’s drive from the capital, Stanley, Bluff Cove has a large lagoon and long sandy beach where over 3,000 gentoo penguins and a growing colony of breeding king penguins reside. On the tour, guests gain a taste of the Falklands’ stunning natural wilderness with an off-road driving adventure, a view of typical sheep farm country and, not forgetting, the delicious home-baked treats on offer at the Sea Cabbage Café!

 

Continually raising the bar, the new Bluff Cove Museum will be offered on the Lagoon tour for the 2009/2010 season. Located next to the Sea Cabbage Café, the museum will give guests a fascinating insight into Falklands heritage. Along with learning about the history of Bluff Cove and the 1982 conflict, guests will find out about local ship wrecks, farming and lots of interesting information on the fabulous Lagoon wildlife. Also opening is a small gift shop selling Bluff Cove souvenirs.

 

The Seatrade Insider awards were held in the Schmidts Tivoli Theatre in Hamburg last night (15 September). The awards programme, launched in 2007, with Fidelio Cruise as principal sponsor, rewards excellence across the international cruise sector and gives recognition to companies and individuals who have made a notable contribution to the cruise industry over the past 12 months.

 

Jake Downing, General Manager of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board said: “I’m hugely proud of Hattie and Kevin Kilmartin’s achievement and for all the hard work that this accolade represents. The Bluff Cove Lagoon tour is an outstanding tourism business – a true success story.

 

“Today’s travellers want to discover authentic experiences in untrodden locations.  The Falkland Islands, and in particular the Bluff Cove Lagoon Tour, play a vital role in providing visitors with this experience. This recognition maintains the Falklands’ position as a world-class cruise destination.”

 

For more information about the Bluff Cove Lagoon Tour visit www.falklandpenguins.com and for more information on the Falkland Island visit www.falklandislands.com.

 

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Media enquiries should be directed to Suzanne Holiday and Katie Liddell at Keene on 0207 839 2140 or falklandstourism@keenepa.co.uk.

 

Notes to Editors:

·         The recent season (October 2008 – April 2009) welcomed 62,600 cruise passengers arriving on 105 ships, compared to 62,200 in 2007-2008.

·         A new record was set in the 2008-09 season when 4,053 visitors arrived on board three cruise ships in one day earlier this year on 6 February.

·         Despite the current economic climate, the Falkland Islands Tourist Board is anticipating a continued growth in cruise arrivals in the 2009/10 season.

·         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.

During the recent season (October 2008 – April 2009), the Falkland Islands welcomed a total of 68,942 visitors.