“There is no doubt that it has been a really tough year for Latin American tourism however it is important that we as LATA highlight the great strides our members have made in the face of the immense adversity of the COVID-19 crisis. The Latin American travel industry has always proved to be a resilient one and we have every confidence that we have now seen the worst of the pandemic. It is important for us to all navigate our way out of the pandemic.

Even in these difficult times, good news continues to emerge from the region whether it be new tours being launched, new accommodation options springing up, fantastic charitable initiatives that support key members of the tourism supply chain on the ground or even more practical information that can inform the consumer on how to travel within the context of COVID. At LATA we continue to showcase the nuanced situation across Latin America in the context of COVID and encourage future travel to the region (with an ATOL protected operator that offers financial protection).   Our LATA newsletter provides a summary of the latest news and developments from our membership."

LATA Chairman, Colin Stewart

Tour Operator News

Journey Latin America creates new ski-focussed holiday in South America

Journey Latin America has created new ski-focussed holiday in South America that offers lovers of the sport a chance to hit the slopes year once travel restrictions are lifted. The Active Chile: Andean skiing and desert adventures holiday offers four nights spent in Portillo ski resort, five nights in the Atacama Desert and two nights in Santiago priced from £5,811 per person. In contrast to the snowy slopes of Portillo, the holiday finishes with five days in the lunar landscapes of the Atacama Desert. Home to hissing geysers, sprawling salt flats and otherworldly valleys of magnificent amber rocks, visitors can warm up exploring on foot, by bike or horseback whilst staying at the stylish and luxury Tierra Atacama hotel. journeylatinamerica.co.uk

TravelArt launches new tour “Heartbeat of Chile”

TravelArt Chile has launched a new tour titled “Heartbeat of Chile” that invites visitors to discover the country's soul. Covering over half the length of South America, Chile has an unparalleled range of natural environments, from the world's driest desert, the hostile Atacama with its geysers and salt flats, to the fertile valleys and vineyards of central Chile. The tour starts in cosmopolitan Santiago before travelling down to the snow-capped volcanoes and deep blue lakes of Torres del Paine National Park. Activities include astrotourism, observing the night sky in one of the best places on the planet to do it, meeting cute penguins on the Pacific coast, and following puma tracks through Patagonia. The 12-day 'Heartbeat of Chile' tour is priced from USD $4.861pp, including internal transport, accommodation, expert guide, and some meals. Excludes international and domestic flights. travelart.com

Cubania makes further steps towards offering sustainably led tours to Cuba

Cubania, a specialist operator in Cuba, is making strides towards offering more sustainably led tours for its customers and is now in the process of calculating the carbon emissions of its trips. The Cuban specialist is actively seeking ways to have a positive impact, aiming to ensure money stays in Cuba supporting local business while having minimal environmental impact on the destination.

Having teamed up with the ecollective, a carbon consultancy specialising in the travel industry to accurately measure the footprint of its trips and business operations, Cubania anticipates the finished product to be launched in March 2021. This will not only show the carbon footprint of every tour it runs but will also show changes that can be made to reduce trip-based emissions year on year. Aside from calculating carbon emissions, Cubania also supports local people such as a school in the province of Matanzas, a lace making cooperative in Trinidad that preserves local lace making traditions, and small business in the Baracoa region including a farm that protects the endangered polymita snail, a family making sweets and a family restaurant. cubaniatravel.com

Pura Aventura becomes the first tour operator in the UK to certify as B Corp

Pura Aventura has become the first specialist tour operator in the UK to achieve the B Corp Certification joining a rapidly growing, global movement of organisations using business as a force for good. B Corporation now boasts close to 4,000 members, including the likes of Patagonia Inc., The Body Shop and Danone. It is the only certification that measures the entirety of a company's social and environmental performance, creating a public and legally binding commitment to balance profit with people and the planet.

Pura Aventura has committed 1% of its revenue to the planet to fund a world class rural community development project in Nicaragua which uses carbon credits as a means of funding. The cost per tonne is approximately five times what is available in less robust schemes. To keep their certification, Pura must recertify every three years and achieve sufficient scores across five key areas of business activity: governance, workers, environment, community and customers. pura-aventura.com/travel-positive

Accommodation News

New five-star hotels to open in the trendiest area of Mexico's Riviera Nayarit

Situated in one of Mexico's trendiest destinations, Punta de Mita in Riviera Nayarit will welcome a range of new luxury, sought-after and exclusive hotel openings in 2021. These highly anticipated openings have maintained momentum and continued construction despite the pandemic and will be ready to open their doors to indulgent travellers very soon. This continued investment has helped to affirm Riviera Nayarit's position as one the most luxury destinations in the Americas.

In 2021, Riviera Nayarit will welcome the world's first all-inclusive Delta Hotels by Marriott resort. This property is nestled on a hillside in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, one of Mexico's prettiest destinations, and is ideal for those seeking an all-inclusive experience. AMResorts will also open two new properties in Punta Mita.  For families, the new Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resorts will provide unparalleled pampering for adults, and non-stop activities for the kids, whereas the new Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resorts offers an adults-only escape and is a retreat enveloped by romance and nature. Riviera Nayarit will also welcome a modern Ritz Carlton Hotel, one of the first resorts to launch in Costa Canuva, a spectacular new development area. Or for a more intimate stay, Susurros Del Corazón, a new property from Auberge Resorts Collection has introduced a “bungalow by the beach” concept with a collection of indoor-outdoor spaces that are set on a bluff overlooking Banderas Bay.  rivieranayarit.com

Cruise News

Silversea Cruises wins the Seatrade Cruise Award for Sustainability

Silversea Cruises has picked up the Seatrade Cruise Award for Sustainability, in recognition of the ultra-luxury cruise line putting sustainability, both socially and environmentally, at the forefront of its business operations over the past 12 months. Silversea was recognised for its pioneering Silversea Fund for the Galapagos, which educates and supports the archipelago's local communities by financing projects related to youth empowerment; education and training; and science, technology, and conservation. This is among several Silversea efforts aimed at enriching the communities and landscapes visited by its ships and its passengers. silversea.com

Cultural News

Argentine Chamamé declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO

The popular Argentinean dance, typical of the Province of Corrientes in the Litoral region, has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The dance, Chamamé, reflects important values such as love for the land, respect for nature and harmony among people. The Province of Corrientes lies in the Northwest of Argentina and just like its neighbouring provinces, Misiones and Entre Ríos, it is bordered by the mythical Paraná and Uruguay rivers, which give it an unparalleled natural beauty. The province is home to the Esteros del Iberá, the second largest wetland in the world, with over four thousand species of flora and fauna: almost 30% of the recognised species in Argentina. argentina.travel

Charitable Initiatives

Just A Drop brings sustainable and clean water to the Rincon Community in Nicaragua

The water charity, Just A Drop, who believe that everyone in the world should have access to clean water as a basic human right, is building a new gravity flow water system in Nicaragua. The 310 people of the Rincon Community are currently forced to leave their homes to travel to collect water every day; and once they've collected that water, they use it for drinking and cooking, rather than handwashing. Just a Drop's gravity flow system which will see sustainable, clean water brought to the homes of every member in the community.

This will enable them to easily access safe, clean water, so they can practice good hygiene, such as handwashing, making them more resilient in the face of the current Coronavirus crisis. The project will transform lives and better protect the community. The project is made possible by the collective support of the travel industry as for every single person who exhibited at the WTM Virtual 2020, a donation was made to this project. justadrop.org

Give back to Latin America
As a result of the pandemic, many communities in Latin America that rely on tourism need help. The LATA Foundation (latafoundation.org) is a grassroots charity organisation that supports a range of important initiatives in the region (including poverty relief, humanitarian support, community development and conservation). The charity is 100% volunteer run and all proceeds are invested where they are needed most. During the COVID crisis, the charity has also set up an emergency appeal. For more information on how to give back to Latin America, please visit www.latafoundation.org

COVID-related News

LATA continues to update its COVID-19 Hub

The Latin American Travel Association (LATA) continues to update its COVID-19 hub providing updated information on country protocols specifically related to travel. This platform helps to showcase the nuanced picture across the region and the various stages of reopening. This platform is being updated on a regular basis and can be accessed via https://www.lata.travel/covid-19/.

Destinations consolidate COVID-19 testing infrastructure to accommodate international visitors

Costa Rica has published a list of all the COVID-19 testing facilities for travellers needing to meet their home nation's entry requirements upon return from their holidays. Visitors can book a test in over 100 medical practices all over the country and can have either a PCR or antigen test result back within 48 hours. Not only is this a practical move for travellers but also goes a long way in ensuring the consumer that all the necessary infrastructure is in place for a hassle-free holiday. visitcostarica.com/uk

Similarly, the Los Cabos Tourist Board has published a FAQ information sheet for travellers requiring further information on how to get their COVID-19 test once in the region. The factsheet covers questions regarding costs, the types of tests offered and information on how to respond to a positive test. visitloscabos.travel

Tour operators in Peru align operations with Government protocols

Following the announcement of greater security measures from the Peruvian government to help stop the spread of the new variant of COVID-19 from the UK, many Peruvian tour operators have revised their protocols to the highest standards to guarantee improved practices.

Lima Tours has devised Adventure Protocols to ensure that the entire process of their adventure activities, from before the travellers arrive in Peru until departure, has been taken into consideration, and any risks of contagion have been mitigated. Examples of these protocols are, ensuring that passengers use their PPE correctly and disinfecting the sole of their shoes upon arrival at each camp, ensuring that the guide has taken the body temperature of all passengers and staff each day, and has monitored the operation throughout, keeping a record of all activity, and providing a final report at the end of each tour.

Amazonas Explorers has taken a similar approach and has even created a live blog to keep travellers up to date with the latest information in Peru. Available at https://amazonas-explorer.com/is-there-coronavirus-in-peru/

limatours.com.pe/en / amazonas-explorer.com

Guyana rolls out 'Safe for Travel' plan to open up tourism and ensure communities and travellers remain protected

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has launched a new 'Safe for Travel' plan to reopen tourism and ensure the safety of its indigenous communities and the traveller. Under the new 'Safe For Travel' plan, the GTA, having been given the authority by the National COVID-19 Task Force, assesses tourism businesses to ensure they are operating with the National COVID-19 Gazetted Safety Measures and in a position to welcome the return of domestic and international travel.

Tourism businesses are assessed in a two-step procedure. First, they submit their Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) detailing how the business has adjusted its practices and adopted new measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Once the SOP has been submitted, the GTA carry out an inspection to ensure they are meeting the criteria. A full list of tourism businesses and areas deemed 'Safe For Travel is available here.

Full information on the process of travelling to Guyana, including entry requirements and testing facilities, is available at www.guyanatravel.gy.

ENDS