Uruguay seeks to make itself known in the European market at Fitur

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Making the country known to the European market is Uruguay‘s primary objective at the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) being held between January 19 and 23 in Madrid, in addition to promoting its “Uruguay natural” brand and the new diversification of offers, which includes the free option for visitors to be vaccinated with a dose of Pfizer.

“Uruguay is a country that people do not know. One of our great objectives is to make it known before its products,” said Uruguayan Minister of Tourism, Tabaré Viera, in an interview with EFE in the Spanish capital.

Viera highlighted the country’s strength in terms of security, guarantees of democratic tradition, and respect for its legal commitments, in which there is total monetary and banking freedom.

In addition, “three million inhabitants with a good cultural level, good schools, universities, good health. It has enormous strengths with a significant diversity in the tourist offer”.

IN SEARCH OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET

At the end of September 2021, Uruguay decided to open the borders, first as a pilot experience and only for foreigners owning property in the country. From November onwards, definitively with vaccination and PCR.

In December, when the summer season was starting, the numbers of tourists increased significantly, although without reaching the levels of 2019. Since then and up to now, about 200,000 visitors from South America have entered, where the main market is the Argentinean (65%) and Brazilian (28%).

The European market is around 4%. “It is a market still to be appreciated. When Europeans get to know Uruguay, they fall in love with it; in fact, many have gone to live there, people who lived or worked there, diplomats, company representatives”, explains Viera.

A DIVERSIFIED OFFER

Tourism investment has been declared of national interest in the South American country, “and therefore the first thing that matters to us is to make Uruguay known as a country and Uruguay Natural, as a country brand”, insisted the minister.

Tourism is a State policy “that has not been changed by three governments of different colors. That shows the country as it is, with a gastronomy based on Uruguayan meat that is absolutely natural, of traced cattle”.

“A country territorially small but with 100% natural prairies and temperate climate that offer its traditional coastal tourism product, in the south and the east [of South America], both in the Rio de la Plata and in the Atlantic”, detailed Viera.

He also highlighted other consolidated destinations, such as thermal tourism, on the coast of the Uruguay River, as a year-round offer, with good infrastructure and excellent communications.

Other innovative products are wine tourism, with routes in all regions, and nature tourism, despite not having major geographical features: “We are not a country of mountains or deserts, but we have some ravines and mountain ranges where tourism development is consolidated”.

Viera also drew attention to mining tourism in the north and northeast of the country, a mining route between old gold mines and semi-precious stones in the department of Artigas – agates and amethysts exported all over the world.

In addition, religious and astronomy tourism are consolidating innovative products with cultural tourism, “which are growing, diversifying the offer and complementing the traditional one”.

HEALTH SECURITY AND VACCINATION WITH PFIZER

Uruguay requires that tourists enter the country fully vaccinated for those over 18 years of age, a negative PCR test, and an affidavit. Between 12 and 18, only a negative PCR test and nothing for those under 12.

“But then the option is given to those who enter to get a dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Especially for South America, the offer is very welcome because they have other types of vaccines, and Pfizer’s gives them a confidence booster and possibilities of entry in some countries that require that brand,” Viera explained.

“It is not vaccine tourism; it is one more service to tourists; it is free and relatively easy to do,” he specified.

The arrival of omicron has been noticed in the number of contagions, which have increased considerably, but not so much in the tourism sector, even though some reservations have been canceled, and it has also impacted the services due to the infected employees.

“But we are confident in the forecast of scientists that points to a drop of this new strain soon and that from a pandemic we will pass to an endemic and vaccination will continue its effect,” concluded Viera.

With information from EFE

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