MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguayan tourists take their dollars across the border to Argentina

Monzeglio spoke of the downside of Uruguay's economic stability: People can travel anywhere they want

Argentina's economic volatility has become a magnet for Uruguayan travelers during the winter recess, causing significant losses to local businesses, it was reported in Montevideo.

 According to Tourism Undersecretary Remo Monzeglio, some 43,000 people left through the Carrasco Airport. “As we have the highest income in the region and a purchasing power in dollars that allows us to indulge ourselves by traveling, people have gone everywhere.”

On the other hand, local tourism operators have reported a negative balance of almost US$ 200 million, as Uruguayans would rather spend their money “across the pond,” thus capitalizing on the favorable “blue” (a euphemism for “black market”) exchange rate. Measured in dollars, transportation services, gastronomy, hotels, culture, and even educational services are available in Argentina at prices substantially lower than in Uruguay.

“I feel a healthy envy for the authorities of Tourism of Argentina,” joked Monzeglio, who underlined Uruguay's economic and political stability, which is attracting people from all over the world to settle in the South American country. He also underlined the Más Colonia (+Colonia) project, which has an investment of US$ 500 million, involving over 180 entities such as real estate developers, technology companies, transportation companies, venture capital funds, educational institutions, and investors. It is to be completed by 2027.

Monzeglio also pointed out that closing down the national flag airline Pluna by the government of then-President José Mujica in July 2012 was a mistake. In 2022, the Uruguayan government paid US$ 23 million of Pluna debts and this year it must pay another US$5 million, the undersecretary explained.

“Unfortunately we do not have Pluna, it closed 10 years ago. We had 7 Bombardier aircraft that we are still paying for. Last year we paid 23 million dollars, do you remember those seven airplanes? We are still paying, 23 million and this year we have to pay 5 million dollars more,” said Monzeglio.

“If you ask me personally, it was a blunder, an airline that had never had an air accident, an airline that carried the Uruguayan flag to the skies of the world. Can you imagine the air connectivity we could have today with those Bombardiers?”

“Everybody said: Pluna loses because they counted what they sold plus what they spent, but nobody took into account what those tourists left in the hotel industry, in gastronomy, in entertainment. That has to be measured, for me, it is a must”, he argued.