The latest increase in fuel prices, which averaged 27%, adds up to a extra pressure on January inflationboth for its direct incidence and for the impacts “indirect”. And, in the middle of the season summer 2024the rise hits the tourists hard who plan to travel with their vehicles.
The increase applied on January 3 was added to the two that had been registered in December and for which, for example, The liter of super gasoline showed an increase of 110% since November: in the City of Buenos Aires, it became worth around $700.
With current prices, To take a car trip to the Coast, more precisely to Mar del Plata, it is necessary to spend about $62,900 (if super loaded) or $76,340 (if you use the premium version), with tolls included.
These numbers They represent an increase of around 325% in relation to the costs that had to be considered to make the same trip in the summer of 2023.: In that period, gasoline prices increased 345% and tolls rose 166%.
Specifically, if we consider that a medium-sized car consumes 10 liters of fuel every 100 kilometersit will take about 40 liters to travel the little more than 400 kilometers that separate the City of Buenos Aires from Mar del Plata. This is, about 83 liters to make the round trip (without considering consumption at the destination).
In this scenario, if the values of YPF fuel in the City of Buenos Aires are taken as parameters (in the Interior it is usually more expensive), About $58,100 will be spent if super gasoline is loaded and $71,540 if the premium variant is chosen. To do the same route in the summer of 2023, you had to spend $13,000 and $16,380respectively.
To that we must add the tolls. If the values of the Dock Sud, Hudson, Samborombón and Maipú stations are considered, round trip outside the peak hour, the total amounts to $4,800. Last year, to go through those tolls, you had to pay $1,800.
Summer 2024: a season marked by uncertainty
These increases, which are not limited only to fuel and tolls, but also extend to rent, food and various items of basic consumption, negatively impact the main tourist centers of the country.
“For the local tourist’s pocket, increases in local destinations average 250% year-on-year. In turn, compared to the last devaluation of the official exchange rate added to taxes and perceptions, international destinations became more expensive in pesos by up to 579% year-on-year,” explained Damián Di Pace, director of the consulting firm Focus Market.
As a result, it is that almost half of Argentines who belong to the social sectors think about not going on vacation this summerwhile 17% do not know if they will do it or not and 37% do plan to do so: within this universe, 25% said they will travel within the country, according to a report by D’Alessio IROL.
This reality is reflected, at least in the first days of January, in a lower attendance at the Beaches in relation to previous summers. For example, Mar del Plata has barely 60% occupancyaccording to figures provided by the treasurer of the Union of Commerce, Industry and Production of Mar del Plata, Eduardo Mayer, collected by the NA agency.
Entrepreneurs in the tourism sector of the Feliz city trust, in any case, that from the second week of January the occupancy level will increase. Although they clarify that stays will be reduced and visitors will stay “only four or five days.”
While, In Pinamar the current occupancy is 75%, according to data provided by the Municipal Tourism and Economic Observatory. Last year, the figure at the beginning of the season had been 91%.
Villa Gesell, for its part, is at 60% occupancyas reported by its mayor Gustavo Barrera in statements to Radio 10, who detailed: “In other years at this time we were already at 100%. With the economic situation, with fuel increases, this will not only influence those who want to take a few days on the Coast. “He who has money to go on vacation is going to think about it.”
Source: Ambito
