The latest measures affect the Upper and Lower circuits, whose paths and walkways lead visitors towards the waterfalls. The national park is set to remain open with a reduced range of attractions and services, according to Argentine news outlet Infobae.

What a difference! Heavy rainfall has transformed Iguazu Falls, one of the world’s largest waterfall systems, along the Brazil-Argentina border. Water flow surged to 455,000 cubic feet per second, more than six times its historical average, prompting authorities to close several tourist walkways as a precaution.

— AccuWeather (@accuweather) October 13, 2026

Authorities initially restricted access on Monday, 12 October, after the Iguazu River’s flow exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second, more than six times its usual rate. The national park administration and the company operating its tourist circuit introduced the closure as a precaution.

“Temporary restrictions are being imposed on the movement of people and access to public-use areas,” Iguazu National Park said in a statement reported by the Buenos Aires Times on Monday.

Park director José María Hervás explained that persistent rainfall and continuing releases of water from upstream dams were behind the decision.

A gradual reduction in the river’s flow subsequently allowed authorities to announce reopening for Tuesday, 13 October. However, the improvement proved short-lived: water volumes rose again that afternoon, prompting further restrictions for Wednesday. The latest developments underline how quickly access can change during periods of intense rainfall.

Iguazu Falls after heavy rain https://t.co/N7JlaGKnTA

— Science girl (@sciencegirl) October 13, 2026

Changing water levels disrupt access to the falls

The latest closure protocol was triggered when the river’s flow exceeded 11,000 cubic metres per second, the safety threshold for access to the affected walkways and viewing platforms. Forecasts indicated that elevated flows would persist throughout Wednesday.

The Yvyrá Retá visitor centre, Territorio Yaguareté attraction and Ecological Jungle Train were expected to remain available, alongside catering and retail facilities. Entrance prices were reported to be unchanged despite restrictions on access to the waterfalls.

For visitors, the distinction is significant: an open national park does not necessarily mean that its main waterfall circuits are accessible. Authorities have advised tourism operators and travellers to follow official channels for updates before planning their visit.

Iguazú National Park in Argentina reopened today, but the iconic Devil’s Throat walkway remains strictly closed, not surprisingly Heavy rains pushed the river’s flow past 12,000 m³/s, which is nearly 10x its normal volume. https://t.co/JRlgFkHzw0

— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) October 13, 2026

Straddling the border between Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu is one of the world’s most significant waterfall systems. UNESCO describes the falls as extending across almost 2,700 metres, surrounded by subtropical forest. Argentina’s Iguazu National Park has been on the World Heritage List since 1984.

Beyond the waterfalls themselves, the protected area supports rich biodiversity, making it both a major visitor attraction and an important conservation site. UNESCO highlights its role in protecting threatened species and the ecological connections between the Argentine and Brazilian parks.

Flooding has disrupted access before. Closures in 2023 and 2024 occurred during a previous El Niño episode that damaged walkways in the Devil’s Throat section. Authorities closed that circuit and removed walkways in August 2026 as a precaution against another major rise in water levels.

The wider region is also experiencing flooding concerns. Rising levels along the Uruguay River have forced dozens of residents to leave riverside areas in Concordia and Paso de los Libres, extending the effects of the severe weather beyond tourism.

El Niño reinforces the need for flexible travel plans

El Niño involves warming in the tropical Pacific that can alter rainfall and atmospheric circulation far beyond the ocean itself. Its effects vary between regions, increasing the likelihood of wetter conditions in some places while contributing to drought elsewhere.

As Travel Tomorrow explored in its recent article on El Niño’s implications for travel, seasonal climate outlooks indicate changing risks rather than guaranteeing conditions at an individual destination.

For tourism businesses, this means linking contingency plans to official weather alerts and explaining what happens when attractions, roads or excursions become unavailable. Alternative itineraries and clear communication can help operators respond when conditions change after a trip has begun.

For travellers, flexible bookings, additional time and backup activities can reduce disruption. Insurance policies also require attention, particularly provisions concerning weather-related cancellations, missed departures and events already known when cover is purchased.

The sequence of closure, reopening and renewed restrictions at Iguazu illustrates that challenge. Local park notices and weather warnings remain essential even after access has been restored, while individual circuits and excursions may operate under different safety restrictions.

L’article Iguazu Falls faces renewed tourist restrictions after El Niño-linked surge in river flow est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The scheme was announced by Economy Minister Luis Caputo at an investor event in Paris on 2 October and is expected to launch before the end of the year. The idea reportedly emerged during Milei’s visit to Sun Valley, Idaho, in July 2024, where he met tech executives eager to obtain Argentinian citizenship.

PROGRAMA CIUDADANÍA POR INVERSIÓN Junto a @diegosantilli anunciamos la puesta en marcha del Programa de Ciudadanía por Inversión de Argentina, a través del cual los extranjeros que acrediten haber realizado inversiones relevantes en el país podrán solicitar la ciudadanía argentina. Estará operativo para recibir solicitudes durante el cuarto trimestre de 2026 y se enmarca en el proceso de apertura e integración internacional que impulsa la Argentina, acompañado por las reformas que estamos implementando para atraer inversiones. Incorpora estándares de debida diligencia, transparencia financiera y gestión de riesgos, alineados con las recomendaciones de la OCDE y el GAFI. Seguimos trabajando para fortalecer los vínculos de Argentina con el mundo, proyectar internacionalmente el valor de nuestra ciudadanía y consolidar al país como una nación abierta y confiable

— totocaputo (@LuisCaputoAR) October 2, 2026

Applicants will need to make a non-refundable contribution of $350,000 (€311k) to the country’s treasury or invest a minimum of $800,000 (€711k) in a specially created government bond, which must be held for seven years.

The contribution would increase proportionately with family size. A family of four, for example, would need to contribute $500,000 (€444k).

Argentina faces nearly $25 billion (€22 billion) in foreign-currency debt payments due in 2027. Having held off on a return to international bond markets, the government is desperately seeking new sources of dollars, and its advisers estimate that the programme could raise up to €2.2 billion.

2027 is also an election year, and success with the scheme could help secure Milei’s re-election.

ARGENTINA WEEK PARIS: UN MOMENTO HISTÓRICO DENTRO DE UN PERÍODO TRANSFORMADOR Gracias @JMilei por la confianza. Todo esto fue posible gracias a dos fuerzas: la seriedad macroeconómica y el magnetismo mundial del presidente Javier Milei. US$27.000 MILLONES en anuncios de inversión. 13 gobernadores, una delegación inédita en la historia. Un presidente con su Gobierno. Y una idea irresistible: la Argentina está decidida a crecer. Mucho para contar y queremos compartirlo. 2 días y medio, 10 eventos de altísimo nivel que pusieron a la Argentina en el centro. Ayer fue la sesión central. Un día intenso de trabajo en la sede de la OCDE, donde reunimos a unos 500 CEOs europeos, junto al presidente @JMilei y @LuisCaputoAR liderando el equipo económico. @DiegoSantilli acompañando a los 13 gobernadores y otros miembros del gabinete. Con empresarios argentinos empujando. El Min Caputo dejó una frase que resume nuestro mensaje: “El único riesgo en Argentina es perderse la oportunidad de invertir”. Estos dos días pudimos ponerles nombres y lugares a esas oportunidades. TOTAL presentó proyectos de inversión por US$10.000 millones en Neuquén y Tierra del Fuego. Fueron dos años de trabajo para generar esa confianza. Y, antes de subir al escenario, el CEO y JM acordaron cómo se llamará su nuevo desarrollo offshore: ALBERDI. Gran nombre para un gran proyecto. Neuquén volvió a ser protagonista con PLUSPETROL y GyP: US$12.400 millones para seguir desarrollando Vaca Muerta. En Salta, ERAMET anuncio su intención de expandir el proyecto de litio Centenario -Ratones, una inversión de US$350 millones y una relación estrecha que construyó @KarinaMileiOk en esta embajada. Y en Chubut, PAE y SNF, también francesa, anunciaron US$1.200 millones de inv para darle más futuro a Cerro Dragón. Glencore anunció US$4000 millones para Agua Rica, Catamarca. Un nuevo hito. El principal empresario de Europa, Bernard Arnault, se hizo presente. LVMH anunció su acuerdo para comprar Vicuña de Catamarca, una expansión de sus bodegas en Mendoza y confirmó su confianza en la Arg. Y Hitachi Group eligió al país para su hub regional. 2.000 puestos de trabajo. Huttopia anunció su desembarco en Mar Azul y en otros sitios. La delegación de gobernadores mostró una solidez extraordinaria. @Rolo_Figueroa, @NachoTorresCH, @Weretilneck, @alfredocornejo, @frigeriorogelio, @GustavoSaenzOK, @JPValdesok, @LeandroZdero, @carlossadirjuy, @ClaudioVidalSer, @DrMarceloOrrego, @RaulJalil_ok y @jorgemacri Se sucedieron paneles y reuniones con los CEOs más importantes de Europa (Total, ENI, Danone, OCP, Santander, Eramet, Rio Tinto y tantos otros). Por la noche, llegó un momento histórico. Los presidentes @EmmanuelMacron y Milei en el el Elíseo, junto a gobernadores y empresarios de FR y ARG. 2 horas de charla abierta y relacionamiento. A las madrugada fuimos a RUNGIS, el mercado central más grande del mundo para conocer el circuito de distribución de productos argentinos en Europa. Hoy, una intensidad que solo está aumentando. En la ICC, ministros, gobernadores y jueces trabajando sobre comercio y seguridad jurídica. En la Agencia Internacional de Energía, agenda de alto nivel sobre energía, minería y nuclear. En la embajada, evento tech junto a 103 empresas del sector. En paralelo, una gran jornada liderada por la Agencia de Inversiones y Comercio Internacional para conectar a nuestras empresas pesqueras con compradores. Hace un rato, JM recibió el Premio del Paris Economic Forum, en una ceremonia que también distinguió a un Nobel. Un reconocimiento a la magnitud de su programa económico. UN PENSAMIENTO FINAL: Cuando se escriba la página de este período transformador, en el que la Argentina volvió a ser atractiva, respetada y confiable, esta semana tendrá un recuadrito. Ese que hasta los alumnos más vagos leen. Dirá que estos tres días en París aceleraron esa transformación y fueron el reflejo más fiel del nuevo lugar de la Argentina en el mundo.

— Ian Sielecki (@IanArgentinoS) October 2, 2026

Since taking office in December 2023, the self-described ‘anarcho-capitalist’ has cut public spending, deregulated parts of the economy, passed historic labour reforms, and introduced tax breaks and legal guarantees aimed at attracting major investors.

“Golden visas” are hardly new. Around 60 countries offer residency privileges in return for investment, while roughly a dozen still grant citizenship. Donald Trump launched a US “gold card” programme last year. However, only about a dozen countries sell citizenship itself. 

Argentina, a G20 nation of 46 million people boasting a vast Patagonian wilderness and a vibrant capital city, will be the first country in South America to do so. Its passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to more than 140 countries, according to Caputo, including the Schengen area.

For wealthy people from countries facing restrictions, it would make both travel and international business easier, according to Kristin Surak of the LSE, author of The Golden Passport: Global Mobility for Millionaires. 

The clientele is changing, and if buyers typically came from Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, Americans and Europeans have since Covid-19 been looking to South America as a haven far from global armed conflict. 

Nuri Katz of Apex Capital Partners, which advised the government, is quoted by Euronews as saying it will be seen both as an “insurance policy” and as “a kind of a status symbol, like the Amex Black Card”.

The danger, warns the Financial Action Task Force, is that criminals exploit such schemes to conceal their identity, launder money and evade justice. Caputo has vowed to prevent this, with intelligence and financial oversight agencies vetting applicants. In April 2025, the EU’s top court ruled Malta’s golden passports unlawful, yet Europe’s golden visas thrive despite calls for their abolition. The five Caribbean nations that live off citizenship sales will not like the competition either. 

Nor will Milei’s opposition. Nationalist sentiment is rising: a bill easing foreign purchases of farmland had to be gutted before it passed, and a rush of billionaires could send property prices through the roof in a country where precarity still rules. 

Argentina under Milei could very well become the new Eldorado for a new caste of Plan B citizens.

L’article Argentina launches ‘golden passport’ scheme to attract foreign investors est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The incident took place on 4 July near Toledo, in the province of Córdoba, during a routine training flight operated by the Flying Parrot Córdoba flying school. Prosecutors disclosed further details this week as they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

According to investigators, 42-year-old flight instructor Leandro Andrés Bertazzo and his 22-year-old student had taken off in a Cessna 150 for what was expected to be a standard training session. The student, identified only as Rosario, had already obtained her pilot’s licence but was still accumulating the flight hours required to qualify further.

Shortly after take-off, Bertazzo reportedly removed his headset, unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the aircraft door while the plane was flying at an altitude of around 850 feet (260 metres). Before leaving the aircraft, he is said to have turned to his student and told her: “You know what you have to do. Carry on.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝐀𝐕𝚰𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐓 (@aviavault)

Rosario later told police that she initially believed her instructor was joking before realising what had happened. Left alone at the controls, she managed to remain calm enough to fly the aircraft back to the airfield and complete a safe landing without damage.

After landing, she alerted the emergency services and helped investigators identify the area where she believed Bertazzo had fallen. His body was later recovered near Toledo.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office No. 2 in Córdoba is continuing its investigation into the incident. Authorities have not suggested that anyone else was involved, and no criminal charges have been filed. Investigators are examining flight records, witness statements and evidence from the scene to reconstruct the instructor’s final moments.

Eduardo Álvarez, director of the Flying Parrot Córdoba flying school, said Bertazzo had completed another training flight earlier that day and had shown no obvious signs that anything was wrong.

“He made this tragic decision on board an aircraft with another person by his side,” Álvarez told Argentine broadcaster TN. “It’s impossible to think about it or understand it, but the human mind is so complex.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stick ‘n Rudder (@flysticknrudder)

Álvarez also described Bertazzo as “a beautiful person with a great smile” and said colleagues had been left stunned by the incident. According to the flying school, the instructor had worked there since 2022 and was regarded as an experienced pilot.

Local media later reported that Bertazzo’s family said he had been experiencing personal difficulties and had sought psychiatric treatment before his death, although colleagues said they had been unaware of his struggles.

While student pilots are routinely trained to deal with emergencies such as engine failures, adverse weather or technical problems, aviation professionals noted that they are not prepared for the possibility of suddenly finding themselves alone after an instructor disappears mid-flight.

Rosario’s successful landing has therefore been widely described as an extraordinary display of composure under extreme circumstances.

The tragedy has drawn international attention not only because of the unusual nature of the incident, but also because of the student’s ability to safely recover the aircraft in exceptionally distressing circumstances.

L’article Student pilot lands plane alone after instructor jumps from aircraft mid-flight est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The consumer electronics and appliance giant Newsan has promised Noblex televisions to the first 100 people who could prove their application to travel to the US was denied between January and June 2026. “Give us your denied visa and take a free TV,” the marketing campaign declared on Instagram. The concept proved immediately popular, with queues supervised by security guards developing outside Newsan headquarters in the Argentinian capital and images showing people brandishing their new 32-inch HD LED smart TVs.

One of the lucky recipients, Tomas Vageller, explained to the BBC one reason why this year’s competition means so much to Argentinians. “I applied for the visa because we all think this could be Messi’s last World Cup. I’m very sad I won’t be able to see him, but I’m leaving with a gift, and honestly I’m very happy about it,” Vageller said.

Argentine national treasure Lionel Messi, now aged 39, played for Barcelona for 17 years before signing with Paris Saint-Germain. With a net worth of over a billion dollars, he is also the face of a number of luxury brands, and, controversially, became brand ambassador for Saudi Arabian tourism in 2022. During his career, he has set numerous records and is the most decorated player in the history of professional football, having won 46 team trophies. He is regarded by many pundits, players, and fans as the GOAT (greatest of all time). Others call him the Atomic Flea (Pulga Atómica) due to his left-footed play, and short physical height, which, like his notorious compatriot Diego Maradonna, allows him to dodge more imposing players.

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Публикация от FIFA World Cup (@fifaworldcup)

However, having helped Argentina to the World Cup title on penalties in Qatar in 2022, it is arguable that he has fulfilled his destiny. Some are even reporting that the usual passion for football and Messi in Argentina, and elsewhere, has been muted ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the build-up for which has been dominated by commentary on President Trump’s immigration agenda. Many teams and fans have faced difficulties gaining visas to enter the US, including individuals from Haiti, Iraq, Somalia, and even Switzerland.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FIFA Museum (@fifamuseum)

More recently too, fears have multiplied over the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, leading to US entry restrictions. The risks of teamplay, strategy, and fan wellbeing being affected by extreme weather, climate change and El Niño have also been in the news.

But thanks to Newsan the fans who will be watching the tournament from the comfort of their own homes on their new televisions now no longer have to worry about visas, flights, weather, or accommodation and can concentrate on whether the “hand of God” will allow them to retain football’s biggest prize.

Meanwhile, fans who do manage travel to the US have the chance to experience a million-dollar version of the tournament, thanks to a World-Cup-focused luxury New York hotel giveaway, or to watch matches for free with locals, thanks to an Airbnb offer.

L’article Argentine World Cup fans denied US visas receive free TVs est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Argentina is currently investigating whether birdwatching tours in its southernmost reaches were the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak aboard the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius. As of 13 May, according to the most recent at the time of writing Disease Outbreak update from the World Health Organisation, a total of 11 cases, including three deaths, had been reported (case fatality ratio 27%). Eight cases were laboratory-confirmed for Andes virus (ANDV) infection, the WHO said, two were probable, and one case remained inconclusive.

The disease initially presents very much like a case of the flu, but, depending on the type, can develop into a pulmonary syndrome that fills the lungs with fluid and is fatal in 40% of cases. It can also become a haemorrhagic, renal syndrome with a death rate between one and 15%, the Centers for Disease Control say.

Usually acquired by breathing particles of rodent droppings, the WHO has said, “current evidence suggests human-to-human transmission onboard the ship.” Panic levels spiked around the time that person-to-person spread appeared to have infected an air steward who had only been in contact with one of the cruise passengers for a very short time. On social media networks, chatter about another post-COVID-19 virus, and its potential world-shattering consequences became rife.

That panic appears to have subsided, and the WHO currently assesses the public health risk for those who were onboard the cruise ship as moderate, and the Global health risk level as low. The reasoning is that the ship’s environment put people in closer quarters than the externally controlled environment, the ship’s passengers’ average age is higher than the global population, and that viral sequencing suggests the outbreak stemmed from a “single zoonotic spillover event.”

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Публикация от Turismo Ushuaia (@turismoushuaia)

But for travel stakeholders in Ushuaia and the Patagonian region, damage has already been done. Tourism by Antarctic cruise passengers from Ushuaia has grown 252% in the last decade, but, as authorities continue to look into the outbreak, travel agents have reported to The Independent a drop in bookings for the next summer season. While the figures will not reach the global trillions in lost GDP that the International Pandemic Preparedness Secretariat attributes to COVID, for Ushuaia, where tourism accounts for 25% of city revenue, any reputational impact could be grave— especially given the way the region is already suffering under national government policies that have incentivised domestic tourists to go abroad.

As the former tourism secretary of Ushuaia, Julio Lovece, points out: “There’s concern because our main attraction is clean and pure landscapes, the imaginary idea of the end of the world.” Stakeholders in Ushuaia will be hoping his turn of phrase is not an ill omen.

L’article Hantavirus scare threatens Argentina’s Ushuaia tourism appeal est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Once considered relatively stable compared to other glaciers, and an attraction for nearly 700,000 visitors annually, the Perito Moreno in Los Glaciares National Park in southwest Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, is now said to be experiencing unusually big ice losses, shrinking by an average of 0.85 metres per year.

In footage filmed from one of Lake Argentina’s viewing platforms and shared on social media site TikTok on 1 May 2025, a vast mountain of ice collapses from the glacier into the country’s largest freshwater lake, overturning and churning up violent, mineral blue waters.

Ice loss outpacing rebound

“Ice calving events of this size haven’t been very common at the Perito Moreno glacier over the past 20 years,” Pablo Quinteros, an official park guide told Reuters in spring 2025, noting that it “It’s only in the last four to six years that we’ve started to see icebergs this big.”

Glaciologist Lucas Ruiz, who works for the public agency CONICET, Argentina’s National Scientific and Technical Research Council, agreed that recent years have seen a change, describing the glacier as “more or less the same position for the past 80 years … However, since 2020, signs of retreat have begun to be seen in some parts of the Perito Moreno glacier’s face.”

Ruiz reported research undertaken by his team that has found a 0.06 degree per decade rise in air temperature around the glacier, leading to it being unable to “rebound” from huge “ice calving” events where skyscraper-sized blocks of ice were sheering off its surface. Essentially, since 2015, the melting and calving on the glacier’s underside is happening faster than the ice can replenish itself at the top.

Vicious circle of melting

Unless reversed quickly, it’s a situation that could compound over time, due to evidence that shows once glacial ice losses begin to occur, they accelerate. This phenomenon is partly due to the so-called “ice-albedo effect”, caused by ice melting to expose darker surfaces which absorb more sunlight. As well as being darker, the surface of melting glaciers is larger than when they are frozen, leading to more exposure to thermal energy from the sun and surrounding surfaces.

In October 2023, tourists were banned from Chile’s Exploradores glacier after an ice fall and subsequent research that revealed “evident risks and uncertainty regarding the behaviour of the glacier” which was deemed to be at an “inflection point.”

Other examples of glacial retreat around the world include the melting of Greenland’s glaciers five times faster in the last two decades than ever before, according to a 2023 study; and the loss of nearly half the volume of Switzerland’s 1,400 glacierssince the early 1930s.

L’article Tourist hotspot Perito Moreno glacier retreats at record speed est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Although this is not a new practice, since the war in Ukraine started last year, the country’s National Migrations Agency has detected “a significant increase in the entry of Russian citizens”, especially in recent months, the organisation’s director, Florencia Carignano reported on Twitter. Only on 9 February, 33 Russian women in their last weeks of pregnancy entered the South American country in one flight.

From these past 33 entries, three women were detained because of “problems with their documentation”. Three others who had arrived the previous day were also imprisoned, the BBC reported. They had falsely reported they were going to Argentina for tourist purposes, but “they did not come here to engage in tourism activities, they acknowledged it themselves”, Carignano told La Nacion.

The six women were not held long, however, following the surge in “birth tourism”, the migration agency has decided to be more vigilant and has, so far, interviewed about 350 of the women who were in advanced stages of pregnancy when entering the country. The country’s passport is “a privilege that we must take care of”, Carignano said.

The Argentinian passport is one of the strongest in the world, offering visa-free entrance to 173 countries. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many states have decided to halt issuing visas for Russian citizens. The EU suspended the visa facilitation agreement in September last year, meaning the process of obtaining a visa is now a lot longer and requires more documentation. Moreover, many of the Member States directly bordering Russia have stopped issuing tourist visas altogether. Currently, the Russian passport only grants visa-free access to 87 countries.

When the babies are born in Argentina, they are automatically granted citizenship. This then also facilitates the process for the parents to obtain citizenship. Following the interviews conducted by Argentina’s National Migration Agency, officials discovered that an organisation had been set up in Russia to offer “birth tourism packages” in exchange for large sums of money. These range from economy class, starting at $5,000, to first class, starting at $15,000. The website claims to be 100% Argentinian and says it has been offering the service since 2015.

“Argentina has a history and legislation that embrace migrants who choose to live in the country in search of a better future. This does not to allow profiting mafia organizations that offer packages to obtain our passport to people who do not want to reside in our country”, Carignano commented on Twitter.

The Migration Agency gave the collected information to a federal judge. As part of the investigation into birth tourism, police raids were carried out on Saturday on a network that allegedly provides pregnant Russians and their partners with fake documents, according to La Nacion. For obtaining the documents in record time, people paid up to $35,000. Although no arrests were made, several laptops and immigration papers, as well as large amounts of cash were seized.

L’article Pregnant Russians travel to Argentina for babies’ citizenship est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

This time its client was a company that organizes four-day expeditions to a luxury camp in Antarctica, a kind of ice safari. In fact, Wolfs Fang Airfield is a private airstrip established in Antarctica by White Desert Ltd.

This historic flight, HFM801/802, piloted by Captain Carlos Mirpuri, vice president of Hi Fly, left Cape Town for the frozen continent, a journey of 2,500 nautical miles (round trip) that required between five hours and five and a half hours each way. On board the first flight of the season were 23 passengers with most of the ground support equipment that is going to be needed by this company for its camp/safari (WFR, Wolf’s Fang Runway, Antarctica).

As the plane was already over the ice I could hear a round of applause from the cockpit. We were rejoicing. After all, we were making history

Captain Carlos Mirpuri, Vice President of Hi Fly

To ensure the quality of the track it is essential to check the friction reports, a task that was carried out with a properly equipped car that traveled the length of the track taking measurements every 500 meters. “The frictions were also all above what we consider minimum,” Mirpuri explained later. A business jet carrying scientists had landed on that same runway two days earlier.

“A blue glacial ice runway is hard and compact,” captain Mirpuri said. “It can withstand a heavy aircraft on top of it. Its depth is 1.4 km of air-free, hard ice. The next important thing is that the colder the better. The groove is carved along the runway with special equipment, and after cleaning and carving we get a proper braking coefficient; the runway is 3,000 meters long.”

The first recorded flight to Antarctica was in a Lockheed Vega 1 monoplane. Hubert Wilkins and Ben Eielson made the first exploratory flight over the Antarctic Peninsula on December 20, 1928, skirting it along the Weddell Sea coast. The project was financed by William Randolph Hearst, the wealthy American publishing magnate.

“The reflection is unbelievable,” Mirpuri added. “It’s also not easy to spot the track. There is no visual guidance of the glide slope, and the mixture of the runway with the surrounding terrain and the vast white desert all around makes altitude judgment a challenge, to say the least.”

There are between 40 and 50 airstrips in Antarctica, although there are no regular airports and flights as we understand in the rest of the planet. As Simple Flying states, from November 2019 to February 2020, a Titan Airways Boeing 767 operated a series of six flights between Cape Town and Novolazarevskaya, a Russian Antarctic research station.

In addition, in November of 2019, a Boeing 737 landed in Antarctica for the first time. The aircraft was operated by PrivatAir and chartered by the Norwegian Polar Institut. In any case, military aircraft and small turboprops remain the norm for the time being.

L’article Airbus A340 lands in Antarctica for the first time in history est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

1. A polluting industry

The pollution causing the colour change apparently comes from a chemical used to preserve prawns for export, sodium sulphite. The anti-bacterial product is used in fish factories, and activist say the waste from these is contaminating the Chubut river, which feeds the Corfo lagoon and other water sources in the region. Fishing is a huge industry in Chubut, a province with around 600,000 residents, and creates thousands of jobs. There are dozens of foreign fishing companies operating in the area in waters under Argentina’s Atlantic jurisdiction. There are many plants that process fish for export, the main products being prawns and hake.

These are multi-million-dollar profit companies that don’t want to pay freight to take the waste to a treatment plant that already exists in Puerto Madryn, 35 miles away, or build a plant closer

Federico Restrepo, environmental engineer and virologist

2. Conflict with locals

Runoff from the companies in Trelew industrial park flows into the Corfo lagoon, and this is not the first time the lagoon has turned bright pink. It is not used for recreation, and for a long time local residents have been complaining of foul smells and other environmental issues around the Chubut river and the lagoon. They have had enough of the situation, and recently residents of Rawson, a city neighbouring Trelew, blocked roads used by trucks carrying processed fish waste through their streets on their way to treatment plants on the outskirts. As Rawson was inaccessible due to the protest, provincial authorities granted factories to instead dump their waste in the Corfo lagoon, polluting its waters.

Speaking to AFP, environmental engineer and virologist Federico Restrepo blamed the sodium sulphite in fish waste, which by law should be treated before being dumped, for the lagoon’s colour change. However, environmental control chief for Chubut province, Juan Micheloud, argued against this, assuring AFP that the reddish colour does not do any damage and will go away within days. Planning secretary for the city of Trelew, Sebastian de la Vallina, disagreed saying, “It is not possible to minimise something so serious.” The lake has remained pink for several days. Meanwhile locals such as Pablo Lada, an environmental activist who lives in Trelew, are unhappy. He believes the government are to blame for not protecting the people by allowing the companies to poison them. “These are multi-million-dollar profit companies that don’t want to pay freight to take the waste to a treatment plant that already exists in Puerto Madryn, 35 miles away, or build a plant closer” he told AFP.

L’article Pollution turns lagoon in Argentina entirely pink est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Unfortunately, since the beginning of the pandemic for binational families or couples their reunification has been more difficult than in other countries. Now it is almost impossible. Since June 26 Argentina has tightened up entry restrictions even more, also forbidding family reunification. A measure considered excessive, if not detrimental to fundamental rights.

This decision was taken to avoid the spread of the Delta variant, despite Argentina having already vaccinated more than 20 million people and the number of infections having dropped by 24 per cent the last 14 days.

In November, the government had showed an opening, allowing even unmarried couples to reunite. It was a huge concession for those who couldn’t benefit from the traditional family reunification. It required the presentation of substantial legal documentation, two covid tests, a health insurance, and a 10-day quarantine. It was not easy to cope with all the requirements, but at least many could see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The government’s sudden turnaround, instead, left those who had planned to reunite with no certainty about their future. In some cases the new restrictions caught foreign passengers who had just landed at Buenos Aires airport by surprise .

The Facebook group Love is Not Tourism is full of heartbreaking stories: women who had to give birth without their partners, couples who had planned to get married, old-age grandparents who can’t see their grandchildren. With the hashtag #LoveIsNotTourism, activists have launched a campaign addressing the government, while Amnesty international is collecting information to claim the violation of the rights of binational couples.

The measures have also generated discontent among Argentinians abroad, who are now struggling to come back home. At the moment only Argentinian citizens or those who reside in Argentina can enter the country. However in practice even for them it is difficult to return. The government has established a daily quota of 600 places for the return to the country of Argentinians and residents who are abroad. To sum up, here’s what the situation looks like:

• Since December 2020, flights from the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, countries of the African continent, Turkey, Brazil, Chile and India have been restricted.
• Entering Argentina for family reunification is suspended. Exceptions for humanitarian reasons have to be discussed at Argentine consulates.
• The daily quota for the return to the national territory of Argentinians and residents who are abroad has been reduced to 600 places.

Passengers entering Argentina must meet the following requirements: carry out a Covid test upon arrival in the country and another one after seven days, respect a quarantine period in a location indicated by the authorities, and present health insurance against covid.

In the meanwhile, Florencia Carignano’s twitter profile is constantly flooded with requests from citizens and their relatives, real pleas to change the law. But there’s little hope: the provisions have been extended until August 6 and many fear that they will be lasting until the end of the summer.

L’article Argentina keeps its borders closed for family reunification est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.