Tourism Falls Again In January – INDEC

In yet another indication that Argentina is suffering from the global economic meltdown, international tourism tanked in January, making this the fourth consecutive year-on-year decline since October.

The number of visitors fell 9.2% from the same month a year ago to 229,997. The amount of money they spent while here also fell 13.4% to $312 million, the national statistics agency, INDEC, reported Friday.

Fewer tourists are also spending fewer dollars. In January the average tourist spent $87.5 a day. Brazilians again spent the most ($132), followed by Chileans ($118), and Americans and Canadians ($120). Europeans spent the least at $72 a day.

Tourism actually rose 20.8% compared with the previous month, as did spending, which was up 18.2% from December. But while the month-on-month increase is certainly positive, it’s seasonal improvement that happens almost every year.

Tourism brings in about $4 billion annually to the Argentine economy, according to official estimates.

INDEC’s measurement is based on the number of visitors who arrive to the country via Ezeiza, or EZE, the airport located outside Buenos Aires. About half of the country’s tourists arrive through EZE.

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