MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires Tango industry attracts 3.5 million people annually

The tango industry generates for Buenos Aires an estimated 130 million US dollars annually and any night at least 3.000 people, 70% foreign tourists, are engaged in some activity related to this dance and music which was born in the River Plate in the late XIX century.

According to a survey by Buenos Aires City Culture Department the industry is booming and annually 3.5 million people are either actors or spectators of this dance show which has gained 120 spaces with 300 weekly events attracting 35.000 people. The survey also discovered that during 2006 a total of 52 tango shows for tourists on average were running every week in Buenos Aires plus tango schools for dancing and studying the phenomena which attracts people from all over the world. The Buenos Aires booming tourism industry that has been growing steadily since 2000 has witnessed "how most Argentine cultural industries have taken advantage of tango to enrich their catalogues, expand markets and take this symbol to millions all over the world", points out the survey. "A grand cultural contribution, which has converted intangible musical contents into tangible goods and services". In 2006 over 275.000 people were present both at the World Tango Competition and the Tango Festival organized in Buenos Aires. Tango schools have also proliferated with an estimated 150.000 people having taken tango dance lessons in 2006 with a cost of 2 to 5 US dollars per hour for residents, and anywhere between 10 and 50 US dollars for tourist groups or individual. Another interesting side besides the merchandising, (hats, shoes, suits, etc) are tango tours which take tourists to places and to meet people linked to the River Plate ports' dance, once considered immoral and low class but now the grand cultural attraction.