Saturday January 14, 2023 | 6:59 p.m.
Hotel occupancy in the main tourist destinations during the first half of January was between 85 and 95%, with a strong presence of foreign tourists.
Córdoba, Entre Ríos and Patagonia were preferred destinations by visitors, while in Misiones, Puerto Iguazú was the most visited with an occupancy of 80%, reported the Observatory of Tourism of the Argentine Chamber of that sector.
According to data from the Chamber – replicated by Telam- The occupancy levels of this first fortnight “are very similar to those of 2022”, considered the best in the last 15 years, when 711,000 people favored by the Pre-Travel mobilized and spent around $25 billion.
The Observatory also reported a strong influx of foreign tourists, since it is estimated that more than 300,000 visitors arrived, mainly from Brazil, the United States, Uruguay and Chile.
According to the level of spending by tourists and projecting it to the entire season, it is estimated that the summer season will mobilize more than one trillion pesos (5.6 billion dollars at the official exchange rate).
“We are experiencing a great summer, with very good occupancy levels, similar to those of the historic 2022 season,” said the minister of tourism and sports, Matías Lammens.
And he added that according to the projections of the portfolio, “the tourist movement will also be intense during the second half of January and throughout February in the main destinations of the country.”
“Tourism is the sector that leads the growth of economic activity and registered work,” said Lammens.
In line with this, it transpired that Aerolíneas Argentinas transported more than 1 million passengers from December 15 to date. With a daily average of 250 departures and more than 33,000 passengers every day to its 38 national destinations, 48 interprovincial routes and 21 international destinations.
“Big Season”
Gustavo Hani, president of the Argentine Chamber of Tourism, said that after the first days of January, “we can confirm that we will have a great summer season with high general occupancy levels, both in traditional tourist destinations and in emerging ones. “.
“The great novelty is that, in many of these destinations, not only is the strong presence of national tourism appreciated, but also a significant flow of arrivals of foreign tourists is beginning to be registered, with the corresponding impact of foreign currency income that this generates. “, he stressed.
Hani assured that this beginning “allows us to think and set expectations in having, once again, record records in many regions of the country.”
The most visited
According to data from the Chamber, the Buenos Aires town of Monte Hermoso, Jesús María and Colonia Caroya de Córdoba and the Rioja towns of Los Sauces and Tama had full occupation in the first half of January.
In the province of Buenos Aires, the Partido de La Costa had an occupation of 95%, Pinamar and Villa Gesell 92; Partido de Mar Chiquita, 94; Mar del Plata, 85; General Alvarado – Miramar, 90; Mar Chiquita, 95; Delta del Tigre, 85; Wolves, 92; Chascomús, 90 and Carhué 88.
In Córdoba, which had an average of 85% occupancy, the most visited destinations were Villa Carlos Paz, 85%; The Skirt, 85; Villa Giardino, 95; Cosquin, 80; Mina Clavero, 95; Villa Cura Brochero, 80; No, 93; High Grace, 83; Miramar de Ansenuza, 98; Villa General Belgrano. 88; Santa Rosa de Calamuchita, 93, Villa Yacanto, 90; Reservoir, 98 and La Cumbrecita, 89%.
In Entre Ríos, where some 400,000 tourists arrived in the first fortnight, Colón had 95% occupancy in the first fortnight; Federation, 98; Gualeguaychu, 99; Gualeguay, 90; Diamante, 90 and Santa Elena 90%.
In Misiones, Puerto Iguazú had an occupancy of 80%, revealed from the organization that carries out the statistics. More than 50,000 tourists entered the Falls.
In the province of Río Negro, the city of Bariloche had an occupancy level of 85% with some 150,000 tourists; Las Grutas, 88 and El Bolsón, 80%, while the Neuquén cities of San Martín de los Andes and Villa la Angostura, had occupancy levels of 80 and 75% respectively.
In the province of Chubut, where the entry to the Punta Tombo reserve was 20% higher than last year, Esquel and Puerto Madryn had 75% occupancy and Trelew: 72%.
In Santa Cruz, El Calafate had an occupancy rate of 90%, almost 10% above last year, and El Chaltén 85%, while the Fuegian city of Ushuaia had an occupancy rate of 83%.
In San Luis, which registered an average occupancy of 81%, the city of Merlo stood out with 77%; The Coast of the Comechingones, 90; City of San Luis: 85 and Potrero de los Funes 85%.
Mendoza, with an average occupancy of 70% in the first fortnight, the most visited locations were Valle de Uco 90% and San Rafael 75%.
In Jujuy, with a provincial average of 70%, the most visited locations were Quebrada de Humahuaca, 85%, and Valles: 72%. In Tucumán, the most visited tourist places were Tafí del Valle, 96%; San Javier, 95 and El Cadillal, 92%.
In the province of Salta, Coronel Moldes, 83%; Cachi and Cafayate 65%, while La Rioja, with an average occupancy of 70%, in the city of La Rioja there were 85% of covered spaces, Sanagasta; 80; Chilecito, 55, Villa Union: 60 and Chamical 70%.
