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LATA SPRING 2026 MEDIA NEWSLETTER
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE LATA MEMBERSHIP
News & Trends
LATA TRAVEL TRENDS
LATA MEDIA AWARDS 2026 – ENTRIES NOW OPEN
Argentina
From 21 March to 20 June, Tierra del Fuego transforms into a canvas of gold, red and amber.
Widely considered the best time to visit, autumn brings vivid forests and dramatic southern light from Río Grande to Ushuaia, the world’s southernmost city. Explore Tierra del Fuego National Park along coastal trails such as Paseo Costero or Laguna Negra, and ride the historic Tren del Fin del Mundo. Sail the legendary Beagle Channel to spot sea lions and seabirds, and visit Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse — the iconic “Lighthouse at the End of the World”.
Daily direct flights from Buenos Aires make access easy — or take the adventurous road route across Patagonia
Information provided by LATA member Argentina Travel
Chile
Chile will welcome its newest National Park in 2026 with Cabo Froward set to receive National Park designation. Located at the southernmost point of the continent, it is the result of a huge conservation project for Rewilding Chile with generous support from Tompkins Conservation and nine international philanthropists.
Sustainable tour operator Pura Aventura (www.pura-aventura.com) has a longstanding relationship with Tompkins Conservation, having worked closely with them for the launch of the Route of the Parks. They have also been offering private trips through Chile for over 20 years. Set on the southernmost part of the Strait of Magellan, Cabo Froward is rich in natural beauty, endangered species and ancestral cultures. Guests will be able to enjoy spectacular, panoramic views over the National Park on Monte Tarn and explore the stunning coastal trail on foot.
It will feature as part of Pura Aventura’s epic 2-week Torres del Paine & Beyond trip which begins at the Straits of Magellan and will take in the new National Park. Price: from £5,975 inc. 13 nights’ B&B accommodation, some meals, car hire, transfers, internal flights, 4 full-day and 3 half-day guided activities.
Mexico
Frida Kahlo is set to take centre stage in 2026 with the upcoming Tate Modern exhibition opening on 25 June in London. Discover the extraordinary story of how Frida Kahlo became one of the most influential artists of all time, a cultural phenomenon, and an internationally recognised commercial icon.
Frida: The Making of an Icon will showcase over 30 of Kahlo’s most iconic works that introduce her ‘many selves’ – the dedicated wife, the intellectual, the modern artist, and the political activist.
In October 2025, Museo Casa Kahlo opened in Mexico City exploring her family roots, and continued record-breaking prices for her paintings.
Information provided by LATA member Journey Mexico
Panama
Based on 2025 bookings and enquiry patterns, Panama is seeing a clear evolution in traveller preferences, with European guests balancing classic highlights with a growing appetite for outdoor-focused and less-visited regions.
In 2025, the Caribbean remained a firm favourite, particularly Bocas del Toro, which has performed strongly with European travellers seeking a relaxed atmosphere paired with soft adventure, marine activities and locally run accommodation. Similarly, the cooler highlands of Boquete continue to sell well, driven by interest in hiking, coffee culture, wellness and longer stays at a slower pace.
Looking ahead to 2026, however, a noticeable shift is emerging towards Panama’s Pacific side. Interest is growing rapidly in experiences centred around protected nature, outdoor activities and low-impact travel. At the forefront of this trend is Coiba National Park, a UNESCO-listed marine reserve that is increasingly appealing to European travellers for its world-class snorkelling and diving, remote setting and strong conservation credentials.
Alongside this, destinations such as El Valle de Antón are gaining traction as ideal short breaks from Panama City. Set within a volcanic crater, the area offers hiking, cycling, waterfalls and thermal springs, aligning perfectly with the growing demand for active, outdoor-led experiences that can be seamlessly incorporated into wider itineraries.
2026 bookings are increasingly shaped by a desire to move beyond traditional beach stays, favouring fewer destinations, longer stays and experiences rooted in nature and local character. While the Caribbean and highlands remain key pillars of Panama’s appeal, the Pacific is fast positioning itself as the country’s next standout region for travellers seeking meaningful, experience-driven journeys.
Information provided by LATA member Panama Journeys
New experiences
Brazil
OIÁ Casa, an upmarket stay in the region of the Lençóis Maranhenses sand dunes of Northern Brazil, has a new hike launching on 1 June 2026. Starting from its pop up Oia Casa sister hotel in the fishing village of Atins, guests hike for two days across the mesmerising dunes. The undulating landscape reaches peaks of 40m, with twinkling clear lagoons filling the hollows in between from June to December. OIÁ Casa’s guides lead hikers through the most impressive of the dunes and lagoons, pausing to bathe in the pools, and overnighting at a refurbished traditional house in a local village. The destination is the hotel of OIÁ Casa – a spaciously intimate 6-room house, well off the beaten track, designed by a renowned Brazilian architect.
Experience this as part of a 22-day ‘Wild Brazil: Rio, Rainforest, Savannah & Sand Dunes’ itinerary with LiNGER Travel: https://trips.linger.co.uk/itinerary/ltra114797 . Cost upon request
Flight updates
Brazil
Starting from 26 October 2026, TAP Air Portugal will be flying directly from Lisbon to Sao Luis in the north of Brazil. Sao Luis is the capital of the state of Maranhao and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also the gateway to the cinematic dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses. This opens exciting possibilities to explore Brazil’s north coast and the fabulous Route of Emotions. It will also limit back and forth flights across Brazil thanks to TAP Air Portugal’s extensive flight network.
Humboldt Travel creates luxury, tailor-made itineraries to Brazil. The Route of Emotions itinerary covers the highlights of this stunning area, price is £6,980 per person excluding international flights.
Costa Rica
Reaching Costa Rica is becoming even more effortless as new air connections strengthen the country’s links with both North America and Europe. Improved connectivity is now making those journeys smoother than ever.
Among the most notable developments, Southwest Airlines will launch a daily nonstop service from Las Vegas (LAS) to San José (SJO) starting October 1, 2026. Meanwhile, LOT Polish Airlines will introduce the first-ever charter flights from Poland to Liberia (LIR) in Guanacaste beginning in October 2026, opening the destination to new Eastern European markets. In addition, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has confirmed that its Amsterdam–San José (AMS–SJO) route will operate year-round from 2026, strengthening Costa Rica’s long-haul connectivity with Europe.
Information provided by LATA member ST Costa Rica DMC
British Airways has also announced that from October 2026, its flights will increase its direct flight to San Jose to five times a week and will depart from London Heathrow rather than Gatwick
Hotel & cruise updates
Brazil
Brazil is set to redefine luxury travel, driven by a new wave of five-star openings and a growing demand for exclusivity and authenticity. The country offers rare access and enhanced comfort, providing guests with private, immersive experiences in iconic landscapes and refined getaways in remote regions. New properties such as the Sofitel Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, the Marghot Hotel SPA and the Salg Patacho, in Alagoas State, embody this evolution, where privacy, design, gastronomy and meaningful connections enrich every stay.
Information provided by LATA member Passion Brazil DMC.
Chile
Explora Expands Patagonian Portfolio with Two New Lodges Opening December 2026
Explora, the World’s Leading Expedition Company for seven consecutive years, is expanding its Patagonian network with two new lodge openings in December 2026, bringing its global portfolio to nine lodges across Chile, Argentina, Peru and Bolivia.
Explora El Calafate is set within a traditional Patagonian estancia near Lake Argentino, 30km from the town of El Calafate. Designed by Chilean National Architecture Award winner José Cruz Ovalle, the 20-room all-inclusive property uses natural materials and expansive windows to frame views across the pampas, the Andes and the distant Perito Moreno Glacier. Over 30 guided explorations range from glacier hikes and kayaking to horseback rides through the surrounding 70,000-hectare estancia, with a minimum stay of three nights, reduced to two when combined with another Explora property in Patagonia.
The ten-room Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve sits at the heart of Explora’s privately protected 15,000-acre reserve on the northeastern edge of Torres del Paine National Park, away from the park’s busiest areas. Surrounded by active conservation projects, native wildlife, gaucho traditions and vast open steppe, it offers agents a genuinely differentiated Torres del Paine product. The lodge operates October through April.
Both properties connect seamlessly with existing Explora lodges via complimentary inter-lodge transfers on selected days, enabling agents to build compelling multi-destination Patagonian itineraries across Chile and Argentina.
Both lodges open 1 December 2026. For rates and reservations contact reserve@explora.com
Click for Calafate render or TDPC render
Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s Safari Journey by Private Charter
Böëna Lodges has introduced a new way to explore Costa Rica in 2026 with its Safari Flight Experience, a curated journey connecting five eco-luxury lodges across the country by private charter aircraft.
The experience allows travellers to move seamlessly between Costa Rica’s most diverse ecosystems — from the Caribbean canals of Tortuguero and the misty cloud forests of Monteverde to the remote rainforest of Pacuare and the wild Osa Peninsula.
Flights are operated by Xplore Air Costa Rica, Böëna’s own private charter airline, offering scenic journeys for small groups of up to six passengers while dramatically reducing travel time between destinations.
The itinerary includes Pacuare Lodge, a remote rainforest retreat awarded Two Michelin Keys; Tortuga Lodge, set along the canals of Tortuguero National Park; Monteverde Lodge and Cloud Forest Lodge, gateways to Costa Rica’s iconic cloud forest; and Lapa Rios Lodge, a One Michelin Key eco-lodge within a 1,000-acre private reserve bordering Corcovado National Park.
More information here
Image: Boena-LataNewsletter.jpg
Lapa Rios Lodge unveils newly renovated Deluxe Bungalows
Lapa Rios Lodge, located on Costa Rica’s wild Osa Peninsula — home to nearly 2.5% of the planet’s biodiversity — unveiled the renovation of its Deluxe Bungalows ahead of the 2026 travel season.
Perched along a rainforest ridge within the lodge’s 1,000-acre private reserve, the refreshed bungalows feature brighter interiors, refined natural materials and expanded open-air living spaces designed to immerse guests in the surrounding rainforest.
For the first time, the bungalows now include air conditioning, offering an added layer of comfort while maintaining the lodge’s signature open connection to nature. Guests wake to sweeping views across the rainforest canopy and out to the Golfo Dulce, one of the most pristine tropical fjords in the world.
Recently awarded One Michelin Key, Lapa Rios borders Corcovado National Park, widely regarded as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth.
Amor Arenal Summit – new hotel opening December 2027
Amor Arenal Summit will be located at a higher elevation than our current property, Amor Arenal Canyon, offering even more expansive views of the Arenal Volcano and surrounding rainforest.
The hotel will feature 30 standalone villas, each approximately 100 square metres, designed to maximise privacy and immersion in nature. Each villa will include an open layout where the bed faces directly toward the volcano, complemented by a private plunge pool, allowing guests to enjoy uninterrupted volcano views from their room.
Amor Arenal Summit will also introduce expanded guest facilities and amenities, further enhancing the experience we currently offer.
Peru
Inkaterra Cabo Blanco – Opening 2026
Inkaterra announces its newest property, Inkaterra Cabo Blanco, an organic retreat on Peru’s northern Pacific coast, opening in 2026. Where the desert meets the sea, this legendary former fishing village is reborn as a sanctuary of tranquillity, nature, and simple pleasures. Once famed for world-record sportfishing and Ernest Hemingway’s visit, Cabo Blanco now offers an intimate experience with just thirteen ocean-view suites, private terraces, and handcrafted coastal design. This new chapter reflects Inkaterra’s enduring commitment to conservation, culture, and meaningful travel, further strengthening its position as a global leader in luxury experiential hospitality.