The Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism released a record number of foreign tourists in the first half of 2017. More than 2 million visitors crossed the border of the neighboring country. This is an annual increase of approximately 25% and a record of receipt never seen in 30 years, since the statistical controls are carried out. “It’s a really extraordinary figure,” says Uruguay’s Minister of Tourism, Liliam Kechichian.
In the first six months of 2017 more tourists arrived in Uruguay than the same period of the previous year. These visitors spent more days and spent more money, approximately $ 1.5 billion, a 39.1% increase compared to a figure of $ 1.035 billion during the same period of 2016. To size the importance of these records in tourism to the Country in the same six months the sector’s revenue was almost double the income earned from soybean exports, US $ 765 million.
The Tourism Minister believes that the reasons for this surprising growth were the more controlled inflation and the stability of the American currency. “To this we add the tax benefits that foreign tourists receive when they enter the country. In my point of view an essential factor is this increase, “adds Liliam Kechichian.
Between January and June, tourist spending was US $ 682.4 (an increase of 11.5% over last year), reaching a daily mark of US $ 105.8 (3.4% year-on-year growth). The hotel sector generated the highest revenue of 33.9%, or US $ 448.4 million, after food with 27% (US $ 388, 8 million) and purchases of 13.1% and US $ 189 million.
When choosing where to spend the night most visitors opt for hotels. A total of 721,133 tourists searched for this type of accommodation (total of 34.1%) during this period of 2017. Next came the house of friends or family, with 484,615 visitors (22.9%), and thirdly, rented properties With 20.5% of the total.
The period of stay in the country increased from the average of 6 days in the first six months of 2016 to 6.5 in the same period in 2017. The most visited destinations were Punta del Este and Montevideo, 22.7% and 22, 8% respectively. The thermal coast was the third destination with the highest demand, concentrating 14.2% of the visitors. And the coastal region of the department of Rocha was in fourth place with 7.8% of the tourists preference.
Nationalities
The nationality record that most visits Uruguay is with the Argentines, only in the first six months of the year were approximately 1.5 million of them, an increase of 32.6% compared to the same period of 2016. This high Can be explained by the strengthening of the Argentine peso against the value of the Uruguayan currency. Seven out of 10 foreign tourists come from there. Brazil ranks second with 240,939 visitors. And third place is Uruguay itself with citizens living abroad, during the first half were 147,426 visitors who returned to the country (6.9% of the total).
But when it is pointed out by statistics that the nationalities that have spent the most, the first place is with Paraguay, where the average daily expenditure per citizen was US $ 138.6, secondly Chileans, with US $ 123.7% Third, Brazil, with an average of US $ 120.7 spent per person per day in Uruguay.
Although there is no official data regarding the registration and performance of tourism during the Uruguayan winter holidays, the Minister of Tourism, Kechichiam says she does not have a negative view, although the recess of the public classes are shorter. “The directors of tourism Departments informed us that Colônia Del Sacramento and Punta Del Este obtained an occupancy rate of 80% “, reinforces the Minister.
July is not over yet and the winter holidays in Argentina start a little later, the tendency is that thousands of Argentines take advantage to visit the beautiful Uruguayan landscapes. The country has everything to start with high in the sector in the second semester that just starts.
Photo: Reproduction