Argentina eagerly waiting for Chinese travelers for boosting tourism

Published on : Thursday, March 18, 2021

Argentina is eagerly waiting for the arrival of Chinese travelers for boosting tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic, said Argentina’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Matias Lammens recently.

Calling China “the world’s leading source of tourists,” Lammens said that he had recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese travel agency Trip.com Group to reinforce tourism between the two countries in the post-pandemic era.

“Getting to work in a market that is strategic for us, as the Chinese one is, is a very important step for Argentina’s tourism, for Argentina’s economy, and also for strengthening the relationship between the two countries,” added Lammens.

Most Chinese people probably identify Argentina with “tango and soccer,” but the country offers much more to explore, including “several wonders of the world, excellent gastronomy and significant cultural sites, and … at a very reasonable price,” said Lammens, adding that among Argentina’s most famous natural wonders are Iguazu Falls (northeast), the Perito Moreno Glacier (southwest) and the Antarctic region.

“We are convinced that it (Argentina) will be one of the leading countries in terms of inbound tourism, not only in the region, where it already is, but around the world,” said Lammens.

Tourism accounts for almost 10 percent of Argentina’s gross domestic product (GDP) employing more than 1 million people, making it a priority economic sector.

However, for attracting more Chinese travelers, Argentina will need to meet the challenge of improving connectivity, since currently most Chinese visitors come via the United States.

“We are working on a flight that can come directly through Asia,” opined Lammens.