MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina promotes bird-watching as form of tourism

Red crested Cardinal

An estimated 500 ornithologists from Argentina are to meet in San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén, next March 5 to seek ways of promoting bird-watching as a form of tourism.

Argentina is scheduled to host a world birdwatchers conference in September.

The meeting in Neuquén has been organized by the government together with local wildlife associations. "According to statistics, there are 78 million birdwatchers across the world who spend around 1,000 dollars in each trip" said Federico Wyss of the Tourism Secretariat. During the meeting next month, scientists and ornithologists will present the results of recent research and will attend conferences during a three-day period, as well as take part in walks in Patagonia. The director of Aves Argentinas, the Argentine bird-watching association, Andrés Bosso, announced that the Annual Birds Conservation World Conference will take place at the Sheraton Hotel, Buenos Aires city, on September 22. It's the first time the gathering of "twitchers" will take place in South America.