MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Everything ready for summer season in Uruguayan department of Maldonado

Antía also called for a small investment to develop a cruise ship dock in Piriapolis to expand the country's offer

Enrique Antía, mayor of the Uruguayan department of Maldonado where the country's most important beach resorts are located, said during the weekend that everything was ready for the upcoming summer season.

Antía also pointed out that the local businessmen were “very aware of the moment of recovery of tourism that we have and are very cautious about prices.”

“Maldonado is getting ready well, it will be presented with quality, entrepreneurs are very aware of the moment of recovery of tourism that we have and are very cautious in terms of prices and are taking care that no detail that could harm the area escapes,” he said.

“We are betting on a season that starts early because then people who come early repeat and bring friends” along.

The mayor also spoke about the possibility of developing a terminal for cruise ships in Piriápolis. In his view, Piriápolis can “with very little investment” accommodate one or two cruise ships for between one and two nights in addition to the existing facilities in Montevideo and Punta del Este.

Such an initiative would result in one more night of foreign tourists spending money in Uruguay, he argued, because only one-third of travelers stay aboard for the night while the rest goes ashore to visit other nearby destinations.

Antía urged the national government to make a small investment that would bring substantial development for the whole department and said studies already carried out supported the initiative.

A record arrival of cruise ships is expected this season, with 122 vessels docking in Montevideo and 70 in Punta del Este.