Tourism is an important source of revenue to the Falkland Islands.
While the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC) will continue its support for developing businesses in the tourism sector, the strategic development of the tourism industry in the Falklands and the marketing of the Islands' tourism product is the prime responsibility of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB). FITB is constitutionally a 'Company Limited by Guarantee', similar to the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce.
Tourism is an industry which is now predominantly private sector owned and controlled, a fact recognised by the election of five of FITB's eight directors directly by members. Central to the tourism strategy is sustainable development, preserving and protecting the Islands' character, building on the Islands' natural strengths - the abundant wildlife, flora, clean air, open skies, space and remote location - as well as their friendly people and virtually crime-free environment.
The Falklands are a sanctuary for rare and spectacular wildlife. From cliff-top colonies of nesting black-browed albatross, to sprawling elephant seal harems and five species of penguin, the Falklands offer unrivalled wildlife access. The clear light and range of subjects makes the Islands an appealing destination for photographers, while anglers will find challenging sea trout and Falklands 'mullet' fishing set in amongst the peaceful and majestic scenery.
The Islands' main tourist lodges are located at Port Howard, Darwin, Pebble Island, Carcass Island and Sea Lion Island. Self-catering accommodation can be found at a selection of holiday cottages on island farms, and several locations in East and West Falkland. In Stanley, there are hotels as well as guest houses and bed & breakfast accommodation.
The industry is experiencing strong annual growth in visitor numbers, primarily due to the increased popularity of cruise ship tourism. Visitor numbers have increased by over 200% in the past decade. During the 2008-2009 season almost 69,000 tourists visited the Falklands, with 62,600 of these arriving onboard cruise or expedition vessels from 95 different countries; the top three visiting nations were the USA, Canada and the UK. Land based tourism continues to experience modest growth, with approximately 2,000 tourists entering the Islands by air each year.
Looking forward to the next tourist season, which begins in September 2009, improvements are being made to the Public Jetty to improve the cruise experience. The works will include the installation of a wave barrier on the jetty, a new pontoon, a new ramp giving access to the pontoon from the land (rather than from the jetty) and a shelter for awaiting cruise passengers.
There are over 30 European tour operators featuring tailor-made packages and escorted tours to the Falkland Islands, some travelling to the Islands by Ministry of Defence (MoD) Charter flight from the UK, but many now choose the weekly commercial service from South America, which has seen a steady increase in traffic.
The MoD Charter flight flies to the Falklands twice a week from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Bookings can be made via the Travel Coordinator, Falkland Islands Government Office, London. T: 020 7222 2542 or email travel@falklands.gov.fk.
There is a weekly LAN flight to the Falkland Islands from Santiago in Chile. Please visit International Tours and Travel, the LAN Chile agents in the Falklands, www.falklandstravel.com.
For further information, please visit: www.falklandislands.com.
