MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay, Brazil agree to boost tourism at the border

Viera insisted there was a lot more to be done

Tourism authorities from Brazil and Uruguay agreed over the weekend on a series of measures to boost the industry between the two countries during the Brazil-Uruguay Integration Forum held July 30 at the Rivera City Hall.

Uruguayan Tourism Minister Tabaré Viera highlighted that Brazilian travelers accounted for between 15% and 20% of arriving foreign tourists, second only to Argentina's 50%.

The minister called operators to “develop and strengthen” public-private management on the Brazilian border, where in his own words “there is a lot of room for growth.”

At the same event, the Universidad de la República (Udelar), the Universidad Tecnológica (UTEC) and the Universidad del Trabajo del Uruguay (UTU) signed a memorandum of understanding with three Brazilian institutions to further promote the development of the tourism sector on the border.

The forum was the closing event of the 7th Binational Food and Wine Festival at Rivera's International Park. Brazilian Vice-President Hamilton Mourao was among the festival's visitors.

Viera also underlined the relevance of working together for the development of tourism, through the strategic lines of the ministry together with departmental governments and private entrepreneurs.

In addition to advertising, presentations, workshops, and participating in Brazilian fairs, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul, Viera insisted there was a lot more to be done.

“We have emphasized in our presentation the need to strengthen or develop governance that has that integration and in the border, in the case of all this long border that we have, in this case with Brazil, it is important to make a governance also coordinated between Uruguay and Brazil. In other words, there is one more instance to coordinate,” he said.

“I think it is very important, taking into account that Argentina is still the main tourist market that Uruguay has, although it has dropped due to the exchange circumstances of the moment, but almost 50% of the public that comes that has come in these last quarters, is still Argentine, while the Brazilian has grown, but to a lesser extent is around between 15 and 20%,” Viera added.

“So yes, there is a lot of room for growth. That is why the promotion in all senses, not only advertising but also presentations, workshops, participation in fairs that we are developing from the Ministry and with the participation of the private sector is in Brazil and focusing on Rio Grande do Sul,” he went on.