Candidly, Scioli acknowledged that the tourism sector is facing a deep crisis as a result of the country’s economic situation. Nevertheless, he defended the initiatives led by his team, highlighting tangible results such as the elimination of the intellectual property rights tax on private accommodation content, the reintegration of tourism into the Cuota Simple installment payment program, the approval of new public holidays, the expansion of Banco Nación credit lines, and visa exemptions to encourage the arrival of international visitors.
The secretary also detailed his ongoing dialogue with provincial authorities and local stakeholders. He emphasized the creation of the Promover program, designed to boost the promotion of destinations during long holiday weekends and both high and low travel seasons. In addition, he highlighted an internal restructuring of the Tourism Secretariat to optimize resources and ensure more effective responses to the sector’s needs.
Scioli underscored the importance of the extended October holiday, achieved under his management, as a key platform to invigorate regional economies. “Argentina needs to capitalize on public holidays as tools to stimulate domestic tourism,” he affirmed, also pointing to discussions with the president of Banco Nación to establish credit lines that will cover transportation, lodging, gastronomy, seaside resorts, car rentals, and regional products.
The strong backing of the private sector was another key factor highlighted by Scioli. He cited the explicit support of industry organizations that share these challenges and expressed his belief that in times of uncertainty, an experienced and recognized manager can provide more confidence than a newcomer.
On the international front, he announced new plans to promote Argentine destinations: the national tourism board Inprotur will organize business roundtables in 25 countries, supported by Argentina’s diplomatic network. These missions will be complemented by the removal of visa fees—following the example of the recent agreement with the Dominican Republic—to further stimulate inbound tourism.
Scioli also underscored the economic importance of tourism, noting that the average daily expenditure of a tourist has increased from 54 to 88.8 dollars, while some private consulting firms estimate that it could reach 200 dollars. For this reason, he is working to ensure that INDEC, the national statistics institute, provides data that more accurately reflects tourism activity, highlighting that provinces are improving their offerings and attracting travelers with greater purchasing power and longer stays.
Finally, Scioli warned that media narratives can distort the public’s perception of tourism. He cited a revealing figure: after requesting a detailed breakdown from the Central Bank, it was found that more than 20 percent of the supposed outflow of dollars attributed to tourism was actually linked to digital services and e-commerce. This, he stressed, is a crucial correction to clearly distinguish the real impact of Argentines’ travel abroad.
Through a combination of concrete measures, international outreach, and a call for accurate data, Scioli seeks to reaffirm tourism as a strategic pillar of Argentina’s economy. His message is clear: despite economic headwinds and political turbulence, strengthening domestic tourism remains both a challenge and an opportunity for national development.
