Foreign currency income fell 21% in real terms compared to 2019 and 41% compared to 2017 in a season with 67,000 fewer Argentines than last year.
The smallest number of Argentines who visited Uruguay between December 2023 and January 2024, with the start of the summer season, contributed to the number of foreigners who entered the country for vacations falling by 6% compared to the same period of the previous year, according to a recent report from the Center for Studies of Economic and Social Reality (Ceres). Added to this is the alarm due to the drop in spending in dollars and in real terms by tourists.
Despite the government’s optimism for a great summer season, the figures collected by the Tourist Activity Monitor of Ceres, in conjunction with the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism (Camtur) They registered a smaller number of foreigners during the first month and a half of the season. In total, there were 49,000 fewer people – 6% – in the year-on-year comparison; 32% if the figures from the record 2017/2018 season are taken into account, when 1,080,000 people entered — not counting non-resident Uruguayans.
The main reason for this decline was the abrupt drop in Argentines, based on the economic crisis that the neighboring country is experiencing: 67,000 fewer Argentines visited the country. However, the work carried out at the national and departmental level to attract a greater number of Brazilian tourists had its results, since the number of citizens of the northern country grew by 22,000 people between December and January, which contained the decline in tourists from the other side of the country. Silver river. They also increased the chileans —2,000 more— and the paraguayans —1,800 more— in relation to 2022/2023.
Likewise, during 2023 more than 3 million foreigners entered Uruguay, which allowed us to exceed the 2019 figure, although it meant a drop of 20% compared to 2017.
Expense, a point of concern
Beyond the variation in tourist arrivals during the first month and a half of the summer season, an issue that was highlighted by Ceres in its report was the decrease in spending measured both in dollars and in real terms—constant pesos—by foreigners in the national territory.
In fact, during, spending was 4% lower than in 2019 and 31% lower than in 2017. However, if analyzed in real terms, the foreign exchange earnings It turns out to be 21% less than five years ago; and 41% less than during the record year for the tourism sector.
As for the per capita spending, this also fell: it fell 9% in dollars compared to 2019, and 18% in real terms. In that sense, Ceres stressed that “the challenge also lies in encouraging greater spending per person.”
As for the non-resident Uruguayansthis subgroup within the analysis of the study center together with Camtur presented an increase in spending of 14% in real terms in 2023 compared to 2022. Likewise, the increase in relation to 2019 was 21%, and 70% if The figures for 2017 are observed.
Source: Ambito
