Author: Lautaro Grinspan and Victor Moriyama
Published on: 15/04/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
About 90 percent of Antarctic cruises depart from Ushuaia, Argentina. Many of those passengers will spend a night or two in town, where they may take day trips to see penguins in places like nearby Martillo Island. The boom is also squeezing locals and stressing the environment. Cruising to ‘Another Planet’ Ushuaia, the southernmost city on earth, serves as the main gateway to the Antarctic. The desire to see unspoiled landscapes, unusual animals and vast amounts of ice in an age of global warming draws tourists to the cruises. Meliá Hotels will build a $50 million luxury resort in Ushuaia. It features a spa, indoor and outdoor pools and an 800-seat auditorium. The current lack of high-end options hampers their efforts to persuade cruise passengers to stick around and explore the region. Most renters in Ushuaia spend roughly 80 percent of their income on housing. A two-bedroom apartment averages 900,000 pesos a month, or about $1,000 at the official exchange rate, according to local housing advocacy group Que Nos Escuchen. In 2023, rents in Buenos Aires outpaced even those of Palermo. Tierra del Fuego is one of many major tourist draws in Patagonia. It typically includes the colossal Perito Moreno Glacier near El Calafate. The rush has reshaped Silvana Ponce’s business. In recent years, the local authorities have imposed a moratorium on the registration of new Airbnb rentals, but they’ve been largely unable to crack down on the spread of unlicensed units. Antarctica is warming at a faster pace than the rest of the world, and rising temperatures are already reshaping the landscape around Ushuaia. More than 230 passengers and crew members have been sickened during a 29-day round-trip luxury cruise from England to the Eastern Caribbean. Royal Caribbean is opening an exclusive beach club a stone’s throw from Nassau, with promises of new opportunities for local tourism. The new MSC World America will arrive in the Caribbean in the spring, joining other huge ships.
Original: 2026 words
Summary: 325 words
Percent reduction: 83.96%