The shortest month of the year will also be in tourist terms.
With exceptional weather, February starts just below the booking rates recorded last summer, although it is believed that with the Carnival holidays and the Mar del Plata anniversary party it will end up consolidating
a good first fortnight
.
But operators in the sector understand that for the
second part
, even when discounts begin to be applied to rents, there will be
a "collapse" in occupancy
.
It happens that the extra long weekend that
the immovable carnival holidays hold falls early, February 12 and 13
, and it is known that that will be when more visitors arrive.
That's how it was in recent years, those five days had more people than at the best times of the high season.
Until those days, the January rates will be maintained.
This February, "for economic reasons", will be different from previous ones: the discounts on seasonal rentals, which were applied from the 1st of the month, will now arrive from the 15th.
The reduction will be 20%
, they confirmed to
Clarín
from the College of Auctioneers and Public Brokers.
"Likewise, in each case there is negotiation, especially taking into account the economic situation," said Guillermo Rossi, president of the chamber that brings together Mar del Plata real estate agencies.
In Mar del Plata there was very good weather during January and they hope that February will start in the same way.
Photo Gabriel Bulacio
He said that in recent days they registered a good level of inquiries and reservations for the second month: "We understand that they will grow as the days go by, especially taking into account the celebration of the 150 years of the city and carnival. Mar del Plata always has its audience."
The forecast of the Hotel and Gastronomic Business Association (AEHG) indicates that the average occupancy in the hotel industry will remain around 50%, which will rise to 60% on the peak days of the month.
The last weekend of January had 75% occupancy with young people once again the protagonists: from the commune they said that more than 150 thousand people enjoyed the Saturday night proposals.
Until this Monday, 1,285,990 tourists arrived during January,
5.8% less than the same period in 2023
, according to data from the municipal tourism body with three days left before the end of the month.
"There are
a lot of last-minute reservations
," said Hernán Szkrohal, head of the AEHG, about what is expected for the rest of the season, "always taking into account the weather factor, and they occur close to the weekend."
Speaking of occupation, he said, after carnival "it collapses."
Young people were protagonists this summer in Mar del Plata.
Photo Gabriel Bulacio
If it is because of the weather, as long as the forecasts come true, we will have to not worry at least in these first days of the month.
It will be the incentive that this short month needs.
The last ten days of January had
exceptional weather
, with sunny days with maximum temperatures of 30° average, some wind at times – from the northeast, at no more than 30 kilometers per hour – and no rain.
February is off to a good start: the National Meteorological Service (SMN), with the warning of caution that a heat wave entails, predicts
temperatures of up to 36°
.
Such high temperatures make the sea surface more pleasant these days.
He had already had a good average, the best in the last decade, in December;
The Inidep (National Institute of Fisheries Research and Development) revealed a report in which it stated that the temperature had been "anomalously warm" at the end of 2023, with an average of 19.7°.
The January report is not ready yet, but the same trend could follow.
Before the collapse, a powerful party: Mar del Plata celebrates its 150th anniversary and the schedule for three days of celebrations has just been announced.
There will be a
giant cake
, weighing 150 kilos, in the Plaza del Agua to share during the first minutes of February 10, when Patricio Peralta Ramos founded the city.
On Saturday there will be a parade of vintage cars and a nautical procession, and in the afternoon shows by Pimpinela and Los Palmeras on the Las Toscas beach beach, the stage located meters from the Torreón del Monje;
On Sunday, after the murgas pass, it will be the turn of La Joaqui and Los Totora.
The closing, on Monday, will be with the fun Bresh.
After the celebration, the numbers will inevitably fall:
in CABA the start of classes for primary school is scheduled for February 26
, a week later for secondary students.
For this reason, the strong tourist movement will only occur again a month later, the
six-day XXL weekend
for the conjunction of Easter, which will begin on Thursday, March 28, and Veteran's and War Memorial Day. Malvinas, April 2.
For the sector, in a difficult year, it will bring some relief.
Mar del Plata. Correspondent
MG