The mayor of Maldonado, Enrique Antía, assured that the quality in the touristic offer that the department offers is the key to having greater opportunities during the summer seasonin which the commune is one of the main distinct of local and foreign tourists in Uruguay.
“If we offer quality, We are always going to have opportunities,” Antía expressed in an interview with Channel 4, and added that “that is a bit of the big bet of everything.” Maldonado and our people who prepare for this time, thousands of people train during the year to have opportunities.”
Regarding the private parties and events that take place in the department and, particularly, in Punta del Este, Antía explained that in 2023—for the 2024 season—there were almost double the number of permits granted than during the previous season, with more than 60 already confirmed by the Environmental Management Directorate and many others still in process.
Likewise, the mayor added that “there is a control and people have become accustomed to doing the paperwork to have support in matters of police, hygiene, and traffic, among other aspects.”
The securityon the one hand, and the traffic controls, on the other hand, were also issues that the community chief referred to: “people feel safe in the department and that is important. The robberies are minimal compared to the number of people there.”
Regarding the controls, Antía assured that “they have helped although there is always some crazy person who goes out on his motorcycle to do tricks”; while he pointed out that the Municipality expects a national system that allows paying the fines to foreigners upon leaving the country. “Procedures are being carried out with Customs and Migrations to have the possibility of implementing it with a modern and simple application and system, since today technology allows it. That in the world is organized and here a definition is lacking at the national level, the important thing is not the fine and what is collected, here the important thing is traffic and taking care of ourselves.”
The opening of Bridge 2 of La Barra, an achievement
The reopening of Bridge 2 of La Barra was another aspect of the season that Antía especially highlighted.
“Both are enabled and queues of 200 and 300 meters are formed. Aparicio Saravia because at this time they can’t cope. Many people go to La Barra and last year 19,000 cars passed through that area per day, on average,” he noted, realizing the importance of having arrived with the necessary works so that both bridges can be circulated.
The Bridge was opened before the Holidays and required an investment of more than 7 million dollars. “It was a brave fight,” Antía stated in the opening of the work which currently has 16 pillars 24 meters below the bed of the stream. This work allowed the bridge to be strengthened and also changed the speed to 45 kilometers per hour.
In that sense, the mayor highlighted that the work was a challenge that could be overcome with height and without having the experience in the recovery of a work of these characteristics.
Source: Ambito
