During a gala for World Tourism Day, President Lacalle Pou highlighted the strong human component in the field and the importance of maintaining air connectivity. For the Minister of Economy, Azucena Arbeleche, meanwhile, the Government’s measures contribute to a better development of the sector. Minister Tabaré Viera, for his part, called for deseasonalizing tourism with a focus on Uruguay’s strengths.
The Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism organized an event, this Tuesday 27, on the occasion of the World Tourism Day, in the La Redención farm, which was attended, as a guest speaker, by the President of the Republic, Luis Lacalle Pou. He was also accompanied by the secretary and deputy secretary of the Presidency, Álvaro Delgado and Rodrigo Ferrés, respectively; the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Pablo Mieres, and authorities of the aforementioned chamber and the Center for the Study of Economic and Social Reality (Ceres).
Lacalle Pou considered that tourism is a sector of economic activity with a strong human component and that, given the incidence of this item in Uruguay, it is necessary to maintain the country’s connectivity over time. In this sense, he valued the presence in the country of airlines such as Gol, Copa and Azul, in addition to others of American origin.
He also assured that the Government receives international advice to strengthen the development of the country brand in this area. “After the pandemic, the tourist protects other elements that perhaps did not concern him before,” he pointed out.
and added: “Uruguay’s result in the pandemic makes it a plus in recreational, human and environmental health issues.” The environment is perhaps the only matter that the less it transforms, the better it is, and Uruguay stands out in that, he said.
Arbeleche said that this item is essential for the country, for its contribution to economic activity, job creation and the dynamism it provides. He added that, in order to achieve the development of the sector, economic policy must be conducted in a responsible, consistent and dynamic manner.
He reviewed some of the measures adopted by the Executive Power to support it, such as the zero rate in hotels for non-resident visitors, the refund of the value added tax (VAT) in gastronomy, cateringparty or event service, car rental without a driver and the tax credit for the rental of real estate for tourism purposes.
Among the resolutions addressed to residents, he recalled that the 10% VAT discount is still in force, the return of nine points of that rate until April 30, 2023 in the aforementioned sectors and the unemployment subsidy until the end of the year.
Viera, for his part, explained that tourism is in a recovery process after the crisis suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, he considered it necessary to think about deseasonalizing it and ensuring that Uruguay’s strengths in infrastructure and quality of service add value to the offer and make it more innovative.
Similarly, Mieres expressed that the industry must adapt to a new world after the pandemic, with challenges to create other opportunities and jobs.
