The cruise season in Buenos Aires Argentina started with the arrival of the USA-flagged Atlas Ocean Voyages' ship World Navigator carrying ~100 passengers from Europe, Canada, and the USA.
This was the first of the 21 voyages scheduled for the coming season. The last season before the Coronavirus crisis saw 118 arrivals out of the 132 originally scheduled. The last 14 became the first cancellations in light of the pandemic.
Buenos Aires tourism authorities expect ~30,000 tourists this summer. The travelers are scheduled to make calls at Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn. Some of them will continue their way to Antarctica.
According to Argentina's Transport Minister Alexis Guerrera, they were "very happy to welcome World Navigator, its crew and the 100 passengers" who had chosen Argentina.
"This first cruise of the season at the Port of Buenos Aires is very good news for many merchants and entrepreneurs who have an engine for their activities in tourism.”
Guerrera added that “the entry of visitors begins to be activated through cruise ships, in addition to arrivals by plane and by land, means continuing to promote an activity that is already growing strongly, generating employment and economic growth in many regions of the country.”
The government of Argentine also highlighted “the importance of the arrival of the first cruise of the season to a federal port, in a context of international uncertainty where many countries in the sector continue with their borders closed, while, in Argentina and other destinations, the economy, and specifically, the tourism sector” it had not been quite so.
Argentine authorities have devised measures to favor tourism like a 100% discount on port taxes during the 2021-2022 season.
World Navigator is owned by the Portugal-based company Mystic Cruises and sails year-round under the AOV-Atlas Ocean Voyages brand on Polar, European, and Mediterranean cruises.