Tourism Plummets 22% In February – INDEC

International tourism plummeted in February, falling 22.1% from the same month a year ago, making this the fifth consecutive annual decline since October.

The number of visitors fell to 150,783 in February, compared with 193,682 a year ago. The amount of money they spent while here also fell, tanking 35.2% to $192 million, the national statistics agency, INDEC, reported Wednesday.

In February the average tourist spent $86.9 a day, or almost 17% less than a year ago. Brazilians again spent the most ($151.8), followed by Americans and Canadians ($110) and Chileans ($91.3). Europeans spent the least at $78 a day.

Tourism also fell on the month, declining 34.4% from January.

But while fewer people visited Argentina in February, more Argentines traveled abroad, according to INDEC. “Outbound” tourism (or “turismo emisivo”) rose 4.6% on the year as 159,685 people traveled abroad.

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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