Mar del Plata's tour operators have one certainty: the second part of this January, marked by economic vicissitudes, will have higher volumes of visitors, close to historical records. But that same belief, underpinned by a good arrival of tourists at this time, also includes a hard truth: consumption will continue to be "weak, moderate".
"Indeed it will be a second fortnight with more people, I would say that we are going to have moments similar to those of the last summers, which were good, but unfortunately the way in which it is being consumed will persist, with care, with businesses working downwards, resigning profitability, and tourists measuring themselves," the head of the city's Gastronomic Hotel Business Association told this newspaper. Hernán Szkrohal.
The presumptions of tourism entrepreneurs are beginning to be consolidated with a sustained entry of tourists through Highway 2, which after noon on Saturday registered 1,764 vehicles passing through the Samborombón toll in the direction of the Atlantic Coast, while 880 of them continued through the Maipú toll on their way to Mar del Plata.
The report is from Autopistas Buenos Aires (Aubasa), which manages the Atlantic Corridor and warned on its social networks that traffic was "intense" in the direction of the Coast, while in the direction of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires it was "normal".
The second weekend of January with renewed expectations, according to the Tourism and Culture Entity (Emturyc) began with an average hotel occupancy of 70%, while they predicted "growth with the arrival of tourists at the last minute" who come to strengthen one of the characteristics of this 2024, shorter stays.
The balance of the first fortnight in Mar del Plata
From the College of Hammersmiths and Public Brokers of Mar del Plata they estimate extra-hotel occupancy values close to 70%. "There is a slow and gradual occupation, and it grows on weekends," explained Oscar Cherú, a leader in the real estate sector.
With these numbers, the operators rehearse the balance of the first fortnight: "The hotel industry did not explode, and occupancy hovered between 60 and 70% in most establishments, notably lower figures than previous years," said the head of the hotel and gastronomic workers' union, Pablo Santín, for whom the economic situation "has inevitably hit tourism and our activity."
He said that with such levels of occupancy and consumption, there was a drop in the demand for temporary employees compared to other summers.
"It is understandable that in a complex economic context, tourists are watching their spending. This drives establishments to adapt to the new dynamics, but it is also worrying," said the head of UTHGRA.
Tourists in Playa Grande. Young people drive the season in the city. Photo: Gabriel Bulacio
Like other sectors, Santín said that an increase in occupancy is expected, "but nothing suggests that the city will explode as in other years and that the level of consumption will grow significantly in the coming weeks. The economic situation has hit tourism and the purchasing power of people in general."
It is known that the presence of young people (44% of the tourists who arrive in the city are between 18 and 35 years old) will continue to be sustained from the most popular parties and concerts for this second fortnight, from Ciro y Los Persas (on the 27th at the Sports Center), Tan Bionica (on the 20th at the World Cup stadium), and electronic parties with international DJ's. On Friday, in Mute, on the beach, Babasónicos played for 20,<> people.
The weather forecast for the third week of the month indicates good weather, with sunny and beach days, temperatures of 28 and 30 degrees, even with a predominance of unstable periods, as has been the case. Already this Saturday it happened again, with a yellow alert issued by the National Weather Service, of strong winds and rain. Summer storms that, like the economy, shake the season.
Mar del Plata. Correspondent
ACE