With the first turnover of tourists after the elections and in a context in which domestic consumption still shows signs of fragility, the long weekend of National Sovereignty Day left an unexpected positive balance for the sector.
more than 1.6 million people It moved across the country and total spending, measured in real terms, rose 34% Compared to the same holiday last year, according to data released by Argentine Confederation of Medium Enterprises (CAME).
Extremely long weekend: more tourists traveled, but spent less
According to that report, 1,694,000 tourists Traveled through Argentina, which represents an increase in 21% Compared to November 2024 Average staywhich was located in 2.3 nightspartly because the holiday added an extra day compared to the previous year.
Individual spending showed another dynamic: The daily average was located at $91,317which is the number that means a Real decrease 3.7%Which confirms the more cautious behavior By travelers. However, there has been strong movement in the core areas – accommodation, gastronomy and transport – which has led to continued activity.
Data for the extra long weekend, according to CAME
Total weekend spend $355,789 millionmuch higher than $196,233 million It was recorded in 2024. The tourist influx was especially felt Mar del Plata, Cordoba, Puerto Iguazu, Mendoza, Entre Ríos hot springs, Bariloche, Salta, Tucuman And Buenos Aires mountain riders like Tandil. In Patagonia there was also notable movement at El Calafate, El Chalten, Puerto Madryn, and Los Antiguos.
A major contribution came from abroad: because of the Brazilian holiday Black Awareness DayWhich fell on November 20 and coincided with the long weekend in Argentina, Thousands of tourists from Brazil It entered Misiones through the border crossings, which increased the occupation there Puerto Iguazu At levels close to 90%.
Javier Miley celebrated the weekend as “the most successful in history”
The outpouring even generated an official response. President Javier Miley celebrated the results at X and described this long weekend as “the most successful in its history”, citing as example Mar del Plata recorded an increase of 38% in the number of arrivals compared to 2024.
To accompany the request, the tourism sector has published a set of… Promotions and discountsIt is a strategy that also aims to revitalize the upcoming summer season. However, bookings continue at moderate levels and operators remain somewhat cautious: many travelers wait until the last minute to schedule their holidays, making December and January performance difficult to predict.
The annual cumulative figure shows that between January and November, Seven long weekendsWhere they traveled 11,964,940 touristsgenerating economic impact for $2,722,208 millionequivalent $1,944 million. For regional economies and thousands of tourism-related SMEs, these moves were a major relief in an otherwise volatile year.
Mayors’ messages
Mayors of various cities that benefited from tourism over the long weekend also celebrated the occupation. Montenegro was one of the first countries where Miley retweeted her message as well
“to 158,000 tourists came to Mar del Plata During this long weekend. It’s a historic record that we achieved thanks to the setting, predictability, presentation and conditions. Everything is for competition. And win,” he posted on his X account.
in Tandil the The occupancy rate was 100%. As Sioli highlighted. The official highlighted his meeting with the city’s mayor, Miguel Angel Longhi. He wrote, “I and the tourism sector have assured me that the city is witnessing a weekend with full occupancy. I congratulate the work of the municipality and the businessmen who continue to position Tandil as a distinguished destination.”
The same thing happened in the cities of Pinamar and Carrillo. “94% and 98% occupancy. In Pinamar Cioli wrote in another post: “With Mayor Juan Ibarguerren, they accompany the large tourist movement that the city witnesses on the long weekend, with beaches and spaces full of people.”
“In October, we organized a meeting with more than 60 representatives from the public, private and academic sectors to coordinate actions for the long weekend and summer season, and address key issues such as financing, promotion and communication,” he added.
“This weekend’s success confirms that Pinamar consolidates itself as one of the most chosen destinations And the excellent summer season is coming. He concluded by saying: “We agree that the path chosen by Argentines in the recent elections was essential in creating a climate of predictability, which is reflected today in the growth of tourism and economic activity, under the leadership of President Miley.”