MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Impoverished Argentines concern Uruguay's Chamber of Commerce

Uruguayans even cross the border into Argentina to go to the doctor, Lestido explained

As the summer season approaches and Argentina lives through a not-quite-unprecedented crisis, Uruguay's Chamber of Commerce and Services fears it may result in fewer travelers and ensuing economic losses when compared to other years.

“We are concerned that Argentine tourists do not come in large groups as they usually do,” Uruguayan Chamber of Commerce and Services President Julio César Lestido told La Plata's Hoy newspaper. He also mentioned a worrying situation at border locations where Uruguayans do their shopping on the other side to benefit from the exchange rate gap.

“This exchange [rate] difference with Argentina is very large and in some products the difference is enormous. In everything that has to do with personal hygiene products, medicines, or also household hygiene items, there is a huge difference,” he also pointed out.

Other services such as “going to the hairdresser, going to the doctor, the dentist or the eye doctor” are also requested by those who cross the border, Lestido further explained.

“There are people who travel more than 200 kilometers to have their car serviced,” he added.

This situation is projected to remain through 2024 since “Any measure taken is not something that is going to work overnight,” Lestido acknowledged.

In this scenario, Uruguayan tourist destinations have lost competitiveness, Lestido explained. Although measures have been taken, “the difference is so big” that there is little to be done despite meetings with President Luis Lacalle Pou. Businessmen in the exclusive beach resort of Punta del Este have asked the Uruguayan president for a special dollar rate for tourists in order to be competitive through the summer season. And they insisted the time to take supportive measures was now when potential visitors were deciding what to do.

Uruguayan authorities have already implemented tax benefits to encourage foreigners to vacation in their country despite the exchange rate.

(Source: Hoy)