International tourism in Paraguay rebounding

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – International tourism in Paraguay “is rebounding,” with hotels in Asunción’s new corporate hub having “high occupancy,” in contrast to the meager results of accommodations in the Paraguayan capital’s historic center, according to Maral Turismo inbound operator José Carlos Bruneti.

Although the results are disparate – some hotels have not yet reopened – activity is beginning to be noticed and has been boosted by international delegations attending sporting events, such as the Skating World Cup, the South American Rowing Championship and the Women’s Libertadores Cup, played in Paraguay, with the exception of the final, held last Saturday in Montevideo.

The Tourism Observatory of the National Secretariat of Tourism (SENATUR) highlighted that among tourists entering Paraguay from January through October 2021, 38.4% were Brazilians, 17.8% Argentines, 7.4% Germans, 6.4% Bolivians, 6.1% Americans and 5.2% Spanish.

Tourists from Uruguay, Colombia, Canada and Chile were also recorded, the Observatory states. “These growing figures coincide with the vaccination processes of the global population, as well as the gradual lifting of restrictions due to Covid-19,” SENATUR states.

Paraguay began its mass vaccination process very late due to difficulties in accessing vaccines – among other reasons, because the country does not have diplomatic relations with China nor with Taiwan, thus excluding the Chinese Sinovac vaccine as an option.

The growth of the past two months, accentuated in October, “is mainly the result of the implementation of sanitary protocols approved by the Ministry of Health, international organizations and of the Safe Travels certification, granted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which positions Paraguay as a safe travel destination,” SENATUR says.

Despite its low vaccination level compared to other South American countries – such as Chile, Uruguay, Argentina or Brazil – with less than 36% of the total population fully immunized, Paraguay is the only country in South America qualified in Level 1 of the U.S. safety alerts (the lowest).