MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina expects more than five million foreign tourists in 2010
Tourism Minister Enrique Meyer Argentina is expecting over five million tourists this year, a historic record which represents a 15.5% increase over 2009, said Tourism Minister Enrique Meyer.
“Foreign tourist arrivals in 2010 will be over five million, which is a new record”, said Meyer based on the numbers from the first quarter, up 14.5%, May, plus 21.9% and April, 9.7% compared to a year ago.
The Minister also revealed that air bookings are at a record level for the rest of the year and said that one of the positive factors this year has been the significant retraction of the A H1N1 flu scare following the 2009 pandemic.
Last year the number of foreign passengers visiting Argentina dropped 14.1% to 1.999.535 and spent the equivalent of 2.6 billion US dollars, according to official statistics.
The International Tourist poll from the Ministry of Tourism showed that during May, 191.665 foreign tourists arrived in Argentina which represents an increase of 21.9% over May 2009.
Of that total, 30.3% were from Brazil; 11.4% from Chile; rest of Latinamerica, 21.7%; Europe, 19.3%; United States and Canada, 11.8% and the rest of the world, 5.5%.
Last June the Argentine government upgraded the Tourism Office to Ministry taking into account that the tourism sector represents 6% of GDP and an even greater percentage in creation of jobs.
Tourism in Argentina has increased steadily since 2003, mostly because of a favourable exchange rate following the collapse of the fixed parity of 1 US dollar equivalent to 1 Argentine peso. The exchange rate now stands at 3.90 Argentine pesos to the US dollar.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rules-
-
-
Read all commentswhile 16% more; in kelperland the same but less.
Jul 19th, 2010 - 03:18 am 0dispute is at kelper´s cost; big money; don´t fortget shareholders cost.
Now I can understand why FKL invest her money in UK instead kelperland.
dispute means money; when it will be end? I vote for negotiations. If I were a kelpers I will try independence when I talk about selfdetermination. Uk is a strange body in south america and is the main cause of kelper´s economic loss.
There would be more tourists in the Falklands if the cruise ships were not penalised by Argentina with respect to their passenger exchange stops having to take place in Ushuaia. If Argentina had not put in a ban on charter flights through their airspace then the cruise ships would have continued to change their pax in the Falklands. Yes the dispute costs the Falklands money but only because Argentina thinks that they can blockade the Falklands and for some reason think that by doing so will make the Falkland Islanders want to become Argentine. The most simple solution would be for Argentina to drop their silly claim and then everyone can start thinking about living in some degree of harmony. Billy you may vote for negotiations but to you I say Foxtrot Oscar!
Jul 19th, 2010 - 04:52 pm 0(2) Falkland Fred
Jul 19th, 2010 - 08:07 pm 01) Argentina is not “blocading” Malvinas.
We just don’t want anyone using OUR infrastructure to conduct any form of business with the Islands.
We are working hard to convince our neighbours Chile Uruguay and Brazil to do the exactly the same.
Right of admission reserved..... You know?...
We don’t need your business.
We don’t want your business.
We don’t want you.
2) Nobody in Argentina is dreaming about the Islanders becoming
Argentinean. We would very much wish you to leave today sooner than tomorrow.
But we are ready to respect your interests...........not your wishes.
Everybody down here knows what those “wishes “are.
And they are not “to live in some degree of harmony” as you so nicely put it.
The British aggressive and intransigent position about oil exploration, the other South Atlantic Islands and Antarctica has made it clear for everybody.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!