4-7 market focus 24/11/08 17:11 Page 7
LUXURY via Madrid, for onward flights by
Mexico is long-established in the Iberia, LAN (Chile, Peru and Ecuador),
luxury market and is now promoting Aerolineas Argentinas, Avianca
colonial haciendas as luxurious rural (Colombia) and others, or via
homesteads, but there is now a wider Amsterdam (KLM), Germany
choice in other countries. (Lufthansa) or Lisbon (Air Portugal
Orient-Express has opened its fourth has a good network to Brazil).
property in Peru, the lodge-style Las Air Europa codeshares with Air
Casitas de Colca in the Colca Canyon. Comet from Gatwick to Madrid. Air
Bales product manager Steve Bray Europa offers onward services to
says: “Orient-Express raised the Caracas (three times a week), Buenos
standard a few years ago and others Aires (six times a week) and Salvador
are following. We’ve seen the launch (three times a week). Air Comet offers
of the luxury river boat Aqua in the connections via Madrid to Buenos Aires,
Peruvian Amazon, and two boutique Santiago, Lima, Bolivia (Santa Cruz),
hotels opened this year, La Casona in Quito, Guayaquil, Bogota and Havana.
Cusco and Titilaka on Lake Titicaca.” Paul Nalder, UK sales manager, Air
New tours by Cox & Kings include A Luxury Comet, says: “In the next five years, we are adding
Journey Through Mexico (12 nights from £3,845) Unesco World Heritage 64 aircraft to our fleet including four A380s.”
and Exclusive Peru (11 nights from £5,095). Site: the Mayan ruins of Many US carriers also serve Latin America, but
Lata’s Whittington adds: “Boutique and spa Tikal in Guatemala most UK visitors would prefer to avoid passing
hotels are definitely on the increase, and the through US immigration.
first luxury tented camp has opened in the In the past the UK enjoyed more direct services
Torres del Paine national park.” to Peru, Chile, Colombia and Venezuela but the
situation is improving: in October BA increased
AIR ACCESS flights to Buenos Aires from four flights a week to
The shortage of direct scheduled flights is a daily, operating via Sao Paulo. It has also added
serious problem, with only British Airways three non-stop flights a week from Heathrow to Rio.
(Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Sunvil’s Lloyd Boutcher adds: “It needs an
Buenos Aires) and TAM (Sao Paulo) currently airline of the calibre of Virgin Atlantic to take the
operating direct services. Most UK visitors go market by storm.”
THE LATIN AMERICAN SPECIALISTS
Expand portfolio If you are an agent and would like
to sell Latin America, we can design
personalised tours for your clients
personalised holidays
via our website.
Latin America.
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Call us now on
T 0207 924 2998 / 0207 924 7978
or email
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7
TTG Knowledge LATIN AMERICA November 2008
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