Tourism in Argentina - Overview

Overview

The World Economic Forum estimated that, in 2006 tourism generated around US$25 billion in economic turnover, and employed 1.8 million. Domestic tourism amounted to over 80% of this and tourism from abroad contributed US$ 4.3 billion, becoming the third largest source of foreign exchange in 2004. Around 4.6 million foreign visitors arrived in 2007, yielding a positive balance vis-à-vis the number of Argentines traveling abroad. Argentina has been upgrading its worldwide presence as a tourism destination by increasing the investment on international tourism. The latest push can be seen by Aerolineas Argentinas, the country's national airline, adding international routes from the United States and Europe. There are also rumors that they will join a major airline alliance soon.

INDEC recorded 2.3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2007 (a 12% increase), at the Ministro Pistarini International Airport, alone (around half the total); of these, 26% arrived from Brazil, 25% from Europe, 14% from the United States and Canada, 8% from Chile, 19% from the rest of the Western Hemisphere and 8% from the rest of the World.

The country had 5.28 million international visitors in 2010, up from 4.3 million in 2009. Argentina ranked as the top destination in South America, and second in Latin America after Mexico in 2010, in terms of the international tourist arrivals. Revenues from international tourists reached US$4.93 billion in 2010, up fromUS$3,96 billion in 2009.