MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan tourism full steam ahead during Easter Week

The country is also preparing its upcoming presentation at the Seatrade Cruise Global 2022 in Miami, Viera explained

Some 114,000 have crossed from Uruguay over to Argentina for Tourism Week, a lay holiday version of Easter Week between April 11 and 17. According to local media, 95,000 of them were Uruguayan nationals, followed by 11,000 Argentines and 2,000 Brazilian citizens.

 Meanwhile, little over 80,000 foreign travelers entered Uruguay between April 8 to April 13; 26,000 of them were Argentines. The number of visitors is expected to rise since in Argentina the first non-working day of the holiday was Thursday.

The border crossings through which most Uruguayans left were Colonia (21,550), Paysandú (18,070), and Salto (15,006), it was reported.

Colonia del Sacramento's Tourism Director Martin de Freitas said this year's Tourism Week was “going to be spectacular and we have 100% bookings until Sunday.”

“We are at full capacity in the whole department. Not only in Colonia de Sacramento, where the largest hotel and gastronomic base is but also in the east and west. We also have many hotels and several very nice towns to visit with their cultures and traditions,” he added.

De Freitas also admitted “that many Argentines are crossing,” although “not at the same level as before.”

Meanwhile, Uruguay's Tourism Minister Tabaré Viera underscored the importance of the return of the Carmelo-Tigre boat route, which is a very important achievement, because “connectivity is fundamental for Uruguay and the region.”

(Read also: https://en.mercopress.com/2022/03/31/old-river-service-between-argentina-and-uruguay-returns )

“We are preparing for the new season,” the official affirmed. This new start is confirmed by the major companies and operators working on the lines present in the region,” Viera added.

He also announced Uruguay was working on its presentation at the Seatrade Cruise Global 2022, the world's largest cruise fair, to be held in Miami between April 25 and 28.

In addition to that, Viera also told news outlets that his Ministry was developing new Social Tourism programs as per Law No. 19253 for senior citizens, workers, and students to promote domestic travel.