Latin America will bounce back from political unrest – Lata
James ChappleLata chairman Colin Stewart has said he is confident Latin America will bounce back from the ongoing political tensions in the region.
Stewart said the association was closely monitoring the situation across the region and was in “constant dialogue” with members.
Political unrest in Ecuador, Chile and now Bolivia have, in recent months, triggered a slew of Foreign Office alerts, with the FCO most recently (12 November) warning against all but essential travel to Bolivia following the resignation of its president Ivo Morales.
The association has highlighted the FCO’s stance in respect of the Bolivian regions of Oruru, Potosi, Chuquisaca and Cochabamba, where travellers are specifically urged to avoid.
Of Chile, meanwhile, Lata said much of the country outside Santiago was unaffected by the recent demonstrations.
However, it is urging all travellers to either destination to consult their tour operator and check the latest FCO advice before travelling.
“At Lata, we all hope for a quick resolution to current disputes so that all travel can be resumed,” said Stewart. “We are monitoring the situation in Latin America closely and staying in constant dialogue with our Lata members on the ground.”
While the FCO late last month lifted some of its restrictions on travel to Ecuador, data from Lata research partner ForwardKeys has revealed a dramatic short-term hit to arrivals – down 28.6% year-on-year the week after the protests started in early October and then falling to 40.5% the following week.
However, bookings have quickly recovered to -4.3% year-on-year during the week of 17-23 October, which Stewart said demonstrated the region’s strong “bouncebackability”.
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