Argentina seeks to attract international events in Chile

25-07-22

Argentina, through the National Institute for Tourism Promotion, took part in the ICCA Summit congress held in Santiago de Chile, Chile, from 15 to 20 July, with the aim of strengthening the meetings tourism segment in the presence of professionals from the trans-Andean country. 

The participation allowed Argentina to exchange the experience of the country that led it to lead the ICCA ranking in Latin America as a venue for international congresses and to rank 18th in the world. Meetings were also held with the aim of jointly positioning the region as organisers of world events.

The Executive Secretary of INPROTUR, Ricardo Sosa, stressed: "Participation in the event is aimed at strengthening Argentina in the meetings tourism segment. The reactivation of the segment is expected by 2023, and Argentina, thanks to the work of the Institute, wants to be at the forefront of that reactivation, to attract more international events, keep the country as a leader in the region and improve in the world ranking. Argentina is recognised as a model of the segment in the region for its achievements".

INPROTUR's Director of Tourism Products, Pablo Sismanian, presented the case of Argentina, and explained the work carried out between the public and private sectors for almost 15 years, which has made Argentina's great growth possible. 

In this way, he also took advantage of the interest of various participants to attract more international events. In addition, Sismanian stressed that meeting tourism is a state policy in Argentina, and emphasised the joint work developed with AOCA (Argentinean Association of Organisers and Suppliers of Exhibitions, Congresses, Events and Convention Bureaus).

The event was attended by representatives of the Chilean meetings industry: different congress and convention bureaus, hotels, professional associations, universities and companies linked to the segment in the trans-Andean country. Representatives from Colombia and Costa Rica also took part in the event.

Argentina has more than 50 destinations ready to host international events and more than 30 congress and convention bureaus.

In addition, during the Summit, meetings were held with the Undersecretary of Tourism of Chile, Verónica Kunze, with the Governor of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Claudio Orrego, with the Managing Director of GL Events, Francisco Sotomayor, with the President of the Latin American Chapter of ICCA, Tatiana Orozco, with the Regional Director of ICCA, Andrés Escandon, with the Regional Director of Latin America of UFI (Union of International Fairs) Ana Maria Arango, with the Regional Director of Latin America of PCMA, Lucio Vaquero, among other authorities present, and in which joint work strategies were analysed.