REVISTA DAP AVENTURA 2015-2016

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Aventura al fin del mundo 2015 - 2016 Growth of Puerto Williams: TOURISM BY THE BEAGLE’S SHORES More than five thousand tourists arrived at Navarino Island last summer, and a sensible increment is expected for this 2015-2016 season. It’s been a while since the natural attractions in Navarino Island, and peaceful Puerto Williams have been pushing the tourist scale in favor, due to the privileged views by the Beagle canal’s shores, in front of Tierra del Fuego and on the way to Cape Horn. The thrust of new projects that little by little are changing Puerto Williams’ face and improving the quality of life of its 2.200 or so inhabitants, showed its effects last summer, when in the middle of the season, the hotel capacity was completely full. A global investment of almost 20 USD millions in 215 has made it possible to begin the construction of the new hospital, the paving of ripple roads, and finishing the second stage of development for the traditional fishermen’s dock. Even the construction firms, temporally settled in Puerto Williams with 300 or so workers, have built facilities to hold 120 people, and in some way decongest the high demand for beds in the area. Lorena Arata, director of the National Service for Tourism in Magallanes (SERNATUR), explains that this development is pushed forward by the Special Plan for Exteme Zones, a public policy proposed by the national government in 2014. Besides those already mentioned, she talks about other plans for Puerto Williams, such as a new passenger isle for Guardiamarina Zañartu airport; a coast-side road going from Villa Ukika to the airport, as well as improving the coast area of Puerto Williams; design of a new multi-purpose dock; construction of the Subantarctic Center, which will be home to scientists and investigators working on Antarctic and Subantarctic science. “All of this has generated the interest of foreign companies to operate from Puerto Williams. An example of this, is Aurora Expedition, who on the 2014-2015 season made their first operations into Antarctica, departing from Puerto Williams. Likewise, Argentinean companies are interested in coming to Puerto Williams and Cape Horn from Ushuaia”, Lorena Araya continues. She believes that thanks to these projects, tourism is strengthened as a relevant activity, taking into account the infinite potentialities a land with so many attractive tour destinations can offer. “During the 2014-2015 season, 5.478 travelers arrived in Puerto Williams. With better access, we can see a considerable increase on this number, which for this season could well be between 50 and 100%”, 34 Adventure at the End of the World
Aventura al fin del mundo 2015 - 2016 Lorena adds. Australian Susan Ganneo is one of the tourists that visited Puerto Williams last summer after arriving on cruise ship “Polar Pioneer”, which made four stops in site. She highlights Puerto Williams as a small town ruled by nature. “I visited Martin Gusinde, and was able to understand how all of this comes to be”, she reflects, while looking at the calm waters of the Beagle canal. BY FERRY OR PLANE To go to Puerto Williams from Punta Arenas, one can opt for an air ride, by flying with Aerovías DAP. The trip takes an hour and fifteen minutes on the Twin Otter, and just over half an hour on the BAe. The other option is by ship, sailing on the “Yaghan” ferry that belongs to TABSA. It’s almost 30 hours of navigation through fueguian canals, until arriving at the Beagle. Adventure at the End of the World 35
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