Penelope Canonico
11/30/2020 18:23
Clarín.com
Society
Updated 11/30/2020 6:23 PM
Opening in progress.
The gaze of travelers on hot days.
With more uncertainties than certainties, the tourism sector awaits the start of what will be an
atypical holiday season
.
In the midst of sanitary protocols that guarantee epidemiological safety conditions and while health hangs by the thread of social responsibility, tourists are preparing to tour the country in what will be an extended period in time.What is
the outlook for summer 2020 / 2021?
Reservations are in the order of 10% to 30% of what happened at this time of year in 2019. And estimates say that
up to 50% of the occupancy
will be reached
.
According to statistics from Booking.com,
national tourist destinations increased inquiries.
The local, leveraged on the benefits provided by the Pre-Travel Plan (the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Nation announced the extension of the terms of the program for vacations in February 2021), is a trend due to its proximity and more limited budget.
In fact, more than 85% of the packages that Argentines bought on the platform have the date of departure in the months of
January and February 2021.
"The trips are coming back, with some changes, but with the passion of always," synthesizes Paula Cristi , General Manager of Despegar for Argentina and Uruguay.
On the
Atlantic Coast
, the tourist season begins
this Tuesday, December 1
and will last until Easter, that is, April 4, 2021. According to a
Clarín
survey
on the situation of hotels and temporary rentals in Mar del Plata, Pinamar, Partido de la Costa, Gesell, Cariló and Valeria del Mar;
you are only
reserving 10% to 30%
, much less than usual for this time of year.
“Occupancy levels are low.
Between the 15 and 20 inquiries we receive per day,
3 or 4
are
specified.
They are usually made at the last minute and not three months in advance as usual, ”says Jesús Osorno, vice president of the Mar del Plata hotel association.
For his part, Eduardo Palena, vice president of the Gastronomic Hotel Business Association (AEGH), highlights the number of inquiries received when the pre-trip for stay was in force in January.
“Now it has decreased a lot.
The percentage for the beginning of the year
does not exceed 10% on average
when for the same time in previous years there were between 50 and 60% of reservations, ”he explains.
Alerted by the situation, the Gastronomic Hotel Business Federation of the Argentine Republic (FEHGRA) and the Association of Tourism Hotels of the Argentine Republic (AHT) issued a joint document to warn that 95% of the establishments will
not be able to subsist without assistance of the State
.
Therefore, they ask the Government to extend assistance to the sector for 180 days, in which
225,000 jobs
have already
been lost.
“Reservations started slowly, people can't decide.
The largest amount is recorded in 4 and 5 star categories.
If we reach 50% occupancy, it will be an acceptable season ”
, Palena tells this newspaper.
Verónica Berasueta, auctioneer and public broker, agrees by emphasizing that temporary tenants seek quality, such as Wi-Fi and ocean views) rather than price.
"The stays are much longer, of
at least 7 days,
" he adds.
Rental values on the coast
rose between 30% and 50% in pesos
compared to last year, according to the report prepared by the Real Estate Observatory of the Argentine Chamber of Real Estate Services (CAMESI).
Compliance with protocols does not increase the cost of the stay because the investment is absorbed by the establishment or owner.
Rentals in VIP locations, such as
Pinamar or Cariló
, are priced in dollars.
Many of the operations that take place are paid for with a 12-installment plan.
As in the rest of the Coast, in Mar del Plata they say that with 50% of last year's bookings it will be an "acceptable" season.
Mar del Plata
“We are 50% less in reserves compared to November of last year.
The values continue to be 30% of those obtained during the last season.
A standard apartment, in the first fortnight of January, ranges from $ 24,000 (one room), $ 30,000 (two rooms) and $ 35,000 (three rooms) ”, says Miguel Donzini, president of the College of Martilleros de Mar del Plata.
And he adds that there are
300,000 rental units that add up to 90,000 places in hotels.
What are the protocols, what will be the entry into the city and what applications to use are the most frequent concerns among travelers.
Cleaning will be the new star of the summer.
In order to have the necessary time for disinfection, the first fortnight of January will go from December 30 to January 14;
the second, from 16 to 31;
the first of February, from the 2nd to the 16th and the second, from the 18th to the 4th of March.
Hoteliers agree on the concern about how the controls will be developed in the tourist rental apartments and in the way in which the pandemic will evolve in the event of a
possible outbreak
.
In Pinamar and Valeria del Mar most of the consultations are per fortnight.
Pinamar and Valeria del Mar
The greatest demand is centered in January.
“In Valeria, there is a lot of consultation for the fortnight, which adapts to the plan we have in the real estate agencies of the Coast: by protocol, we have to leave
two days free to disinfect the property between one client and another
.
The idea is not to rent for less than 15 days ”, explains Claudia Liscio.
President of the Professional Center of Auctioneers and Public Brokers of Pinamar.
Cariló
“The consultations are for 7 nights, but those who come from the interior ask for 10. Several reservations are expected for
the first long weekend of December.
For now, the expected occupation for the summer reaches 20% ”, describes Diana Fruniz, vice president of the Pinamar Chamber of Tourism.
"The novelty of the year is that a special clause was incorporated into the contracts: if the competent authority prevents entry to the town,
the total amount paid will be returned to the tourist,"
says Liscio.
Villa Gesell
“We are at an initial level of inquiries and reservations that
do not exceed 10%.
Many of our clients decided to withdraw their temporary rental properties for fear of incurring liability in the event that tourists were infected in their homes.
They prefer to
use them or lend them to a relative ”
, points out Sergio Coronel, president of the Villa Gesell Martilleros Center.
Coast Party
“The offer was delayed due to the uncertainty of knowing if there would be a season.
In mid-December we will have a clearer picture ”, assures Christian Cabibbo, president of the Center for Auctioneers and Brokers. Regarding values,
an increase of between 40 and 50% or more
is estimated
, in exclusive areas,
compared to last year.
From the sector, they consider that it is due to inflation and the consequent expenses that the owners must face, once the summer is over.
Bariloche.
In the City they expect demand to grow when public transportation is enabled.
Other destinations
In recent years, around 15 million people were mobilized throughout the country during each summer season.
The expectation for this year is lower.
It is expected that between 60 and 70% of that figure will circulate
, according to a source from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Nation.
From Despegar, the choice of flexible reservations and a marked increase in anticipation of the purchase for domestic trips stand out.
Bariloche will be the star of the season.
Until a month ago, in the Cordillera an occupancy of 10% to 20% was expected.
The scene changed.
"In Bariloche and El Bolsón there is talk of a jump of
up to 50% occupancy
and it is likely to rise, depending on the opening offered by the protocols and the extension of the dates of public transport," explain business actors.
In San Martín de los Andes and La Angostura the percentage is very similar,
the government
points out to
Clarín
.
Bariloche receives more than 400 thousand tourists each year between the end of December and the first days of April.
If the figure reaches 200,000 in three months, it will be a success
, they say in Río Negro.
In January and February of last year, Neuquén hosted some 200 thousand visitors in its tourist areas.
Historical record that can hardly be broken in 2021. On the Rio Negro coast, the reserves indicate that it will be a normal year.
Mendoza
The Wine Province, with restaurants and accommodation open from June 10, is one of the few sectors that foresees a busy summer.
The wineries lost profitability: until March of this year between 60 and 80% of the tourism they received was foreign.
"Only local visitors come", confesses Mariana Cerutti, from Andeluna winery, from the Uco Valley.
And he anticipates that reservations from national tourists were taken for the end of the year and January celebration, but they await the official confirmation of the opening so that they can be final sales.
The Mendoza hotel sector ventures
one of the worst seasons in recent decades for this summer
.
Uncertainty and lack of predictability are the reasons that the leaders of Mendoza tourism argued.
On December 1, national tourism was enabled, but the Government has not yet acceded to Mendoza's requests for the reactivation of international flights and the
opening of land borders with Chile.
“The occupancy level for December and January will be very low, I don't think we will reach 8%.
Prices are at the same values as last year, around $ 3,000 for a double room in the 3-star category, ”says Daniel Ariosto, president of the Mendoza Commercial and Industrial Union.
Cordova
In the mountains, the season for provincial domestic tourism begins on December 4 and for interprovincial tourism on January 1.
Due to the level of inquiries and reservations, which are not yet quantifiable, the authorities of the Province's Tourism area and businessmen in the sector foresee that this year there will be
longer stays in relation to previous seasons.
"Perhaps in search of greater protection against the pandemic, families choose to book in a specific place," reflect from the sector.
"We have a high level of bookings from December and January with visitors from other provinces," remarked the president of the Córdoba Tourism Agency, Esteban Avilés.
The rates for the summer are sold with an
increase of between 30 and 40% in the different destinations of Córdoba
.
"The Previaje motivated people to seek to get the maximum benefit with long reservations," emphasized Roberto Stanli, president of the Calamuchita Valley Hotel Association.
In Iguazú they say that ending January with 100,000 visitors would be a success.
Missions
Although there is still no certain date for the return of tourism, in
Puerto Iguazú
they are confident.
The destination obtained a month ago the Safe Travels seal, awarded by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
“In advance sales we did very well.
We have a huge volume of inquiries from people who have already bought the tickets, "say tourism leaders.
Given the absence of foreign tourists, they estimate that the season will have a hotel occupancy of around
60% and that ending the month of January with 100,000 visitors in Cataratas would be a success.
Regarding prices, they indicated that “if there are variations with respect to the previous season, it is downward.
Today you can hire a double room in a four-star hotel for $ 5,500 per night.
And a three-step menu costs $ 950.
saint Louis
The province will open the summer vacation season
on December 15.
Tour operators in the towns of Merlo and Potrero de los Funes, two of the most consulted tourist centers, estimate a 30% increase in rates compared to last year.
Report: Correspondents
Claudio Andrade (Río Negro), Roxana Badaloni (Mendoza), Fernando Agüero (Córdoba), Ernesto Azarkevich (Misiones) and Oscar Flores (San Luis)
SC
Look also
Holidays in a pandemic: hoteliers forecast only 10% activity compared to last summer