Brits top holidays in Argentina

Most of the Europeans tourists travelling to Argentina to soak up the sun in the first month of this year were from Britain, a new report reveals.

According to the Argentina Tourist Board, the South American country has been rapidly growing as a popular tourist destination for Brits abroad.

January is the hottest month of the year in Argentina, and the number of British tourists visiting at this time rose by 30.2 per cent compared with 2004.

This put Brits at the top of the pile for Europeans visiting Argentina, and second in the world, sitting just behind visitors from Brazil.

This growth built on a growing trend for Britons to holiday in Argentina. In 2005 UK arrivals through Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires rose by 17.3 per cent, compared with 2004, from 39,772 to 46,650.

And once Brits are in Argentina, it appears that we like to stay there for longer, thanks to its dramatic natural features such as the Iguazu Falls and vibrant nightlife.

The research finds that Britons on average stay in Argentina for 15.4 days, higher than the international average of 12.2 days. While there, 66.9 per cent of us stay in four and five star hotels, taking advantage of the value for money accommodation and living costs in Argentina.

The Argentine vice-minister for tourism, Guillermo Brooks, said: "We are delighted with the results for 2005.

"This is a direct outcome to the increased investment we have put behind our Tourism Argentina campaign in the UK.

"British travellers love Argentina, as it is a country that offers adventure, beautiful scenery, and sport, but also the nightlife, culture and the European style of Buenos Aires."

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