Argentina rules out spurring domestic tourism

Buenos Aires, July 7 The Argentine government has decided not to spur domestic tourism with incentives or ad campaigns amid fears of the spread of the Delta Covid variant, Tourism and Sports Minister Matias Lammens said.

"Today tourism is allowed, but we are not going to promote it," Lammens said in statements to the press.

Unlike other years, there will be no "promotional campaign" or "incentive plans" ahead of the austral winter break, despite tourism's contribution to the economy, Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying.

Winter vacation runs from July 19 to 30 in the capital Buenos Aires and in the province of the same name, where residents traditionally head by the droves to national snow destinations, such as Tierra del Fuego in the south.

Argentina's tourism sector represents almost 10 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs more than one million people.

"Tourism may become one of the leading drivers of Argentina's recovery, with an enormous capacity to generate work, which will be greatly lacking in the post-pandemic," said Lammens.

Argentina has so far confirmed 4,552,750 coronavirus cases and 96,521 deaths.