Natalia Muscatelli
08/22/2021 7:17 PM
Clarín.com
Economy
Updated 08/22/2021 7:18 PM
The second stage of the Pre-Trip program, which
began to be implemented in the last week
, raised good expectations in the tourism sector. Operators calculate that this second round
will be better than the first due to the decline in Covid cases and the advance in vaccination in recent months.
To such an extent, tour operators are enthusiastic that the Government is evaluating extending the plan
to international tourists who want to visit Argentina.
Although a few days passed since the launch, (last Saturday it was announced by President Alberto Fernández in Iguazú), a preliminary survey by the Ministry of Tourism among local tour operators, showed that
the number of travel reservations tripled as of January 1 November
compared to the previous week. "For example, last Tuesday the companies sold 105% more tickets while on Wednesday the increase was already 310% more than on Wednesday of last week," according to sources from the ministry in charge of Matías Lammens.
"In addition, only in the first three business days to access the program, more than
6,500 tourism providers signed up to operate in this second edition of the plan,"
said the same source. Last year, during the term of the program, which lasted three months, 13 thousand providers signed up.
PreViaje is an initiative that allows you to obtain
a credit of 50% of the expenses incurred in the purchase of a tourist package
. This refund can be used throughout the tourist chain in the development of the trip and also on the return in different consumptions such as restaurants, cinemas and theaters, among others. You can now enter the site
previaje.gob.ar
to upload purchase invoices and generate credit with
travel starting in November and throughout 2022.
According to Andres Deya, vice president of FAEVyT, the federation that groups travel agencies nationwide, “
for this year the expectation with the Program is very high
.
Last year it worked really well.
It started slowly and then consolidated.
Little by little, people were encouraged to participate ”, he said.
Last year for the tourism sector the Program represented a business volume of around $ 13 billion.
Taking into account that the sector has been hit and will continue like this for two more years until reaching pre-pandemic numbers, ”he said.
Precisely to also promote receptive tourism, the Ministry of Tourism is analyzing
the discount for international tourists to travel through Argentina when the borders are opened.
“It is a stimulus measure for the generation of international tourist arrivals to our country and as the Pre-trip program will give a great boost to our sector.
Furthermore, it is very important because tourism has a strong impact on regional economies ”, said the president of the CAT, Gustavo Hani.
Also for the FAEVyT it is "excellent news that we support and promote; it will bring multiple benefits to the sector, such as, for example, the income of foreign exchange, the recovery of those who work with foreign tourism and the growth of the economy of the receptive destinations, it is also an incentive to demand to compete globally for the choice of tourists, "he said.
Regarding the Pre-trip experience, the airline Flybondi commented: "considering that last year, at that time, domestic flight restrictions were still in force in Argentina, sales levels were good," said a spokesperson.
In the first edition there was a
growth of more than 50% in tickets sold
compared to the previous week and 94% more compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks ”, they commented in the low cost.
And they detailed that the best-selling destinations during the Pre Trip 2020 program were: Bariloche, Jujuy, Salta and Iguazú.
"It is essential that synergy can be made between the public and private spheres to continue developing local tourism," said Federico Pastori, Head of Marketing at Flybondi.
The
sales platforms online travel
also realize that in the first days after the launch of the program presale
inquiries and bookings grew so steep.
According to Jose García Casabal CEO of the same platform, "in these first days of validity we are
already beginning to see a growing demand
,
" he
said.
Although he also warns that "the program helps a lot, but it does not solve the problem of so many months unemployed."
“We hope that given the expectations of a decline in Covid cases along with the advancement of vaccination,
the plan will have even more impact than last year.
If that perspective is added to a unification in the conditions for traveling within the country, the outlook becomes even more encouraging, "added Magalí Alvarez Howlin, marketing manager of the same platform.
From the experience of Despegar, the reactivation in sales is being seen for consumption from the month of November.
Bariloche, Mendoza, Córdoba, Iguazú are the most chosen destinations
so far in the online travel agency.
According to Minister Lammens, “the first stage of Pre-Trip was successful, and
in this second stage we hope to double those numbers, which would mean more than a million tourists traveling through the country
and an enormous injection of liquidity for this strategic sector of the economy. national ”, he pointed out.
Look also
Pre-trip 2: what it is and how to take advantage of the benefits to travel through Argentina
They plan to join the Pre-Trip and Santa Fe Wallet programs for the benefit of tourists