DUBAI, 12 January 2022 – With the message that Argentina has reopened its doors to the world and is ready to welcome everyone, the Argentina Tourism Bureau was at Expo 2020 today (12 January) to highlight why it is an appealing destination for tourists.
With the largest waterfall system in the world, the highest peak in the Americas and some of the most extraordinary scenery that travellers can encounter, Argentina is guaranteeing an unforgettable experience for all.
Hernán Vanoli, Head of the National Institute of Tourism Promotion (INPROUR) at the Argentina Pavilion, is working with pavilion partners, airlines and tour operators to leverage the country’s tourism potential, and to discuss how travel will recover in a post-pandemic world.
The combined attractions of the Southern Cone – a geographical and cultural subregion composed of the southern-most areas of South America, comprising Argentina, Chile and Uruguay – play a big factor in enticing visitors to the region, which Vanoli labelled as “the full package”.
He honed in on the region’s wide-open spaces as being an incentive during pandemic-hit times, while highlighting the diverse landscapes, traditions and cultures in which visitors to the Southern Cone can take pleasure.
Vanoli said: “Argentina works frequently together with Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and also Brazil, because when tourists are travelling from afar it is common to visit all these countries at the same time. The different countries are complementary, but they all have something different to offer. In Argentina, you have the jungle and the desert, Patagonia has awesome mountain peaks and glaciers … we want tourists to be aware of the diversity of the region and to get the best out of their visits.”
Sustainability, Vanoli said, is not something new for Argentina, with great inroads already made in conservation and eco-tourism: “Sustainability has always been important, but we know that nowadays it’s more important than ever, so we continue to work really hard on this and to preserve our heritage and national parks.”
With no direct flights currently from the UAE to Argentina, Vanoli concedes that “connectivity could be better”, but pointed out that the country works closely with various airlines to provide flights via São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Under the theme ‘Productive Argentina: Culture, Sports, Tourism’, the immersive Argentina Pavilion invites visitors on a tour through the country from the Patagonian glaciers to the Puna plateau, the rugged Calchaquí Valleys and the immense Iguazú Falls. State-of-the-art technology and 360-degree projections create the impression that visitors are actually at the country’s landmark attractions.
Tango lessons are available at the pavilion for visitors, who can also enjoy a variety of dance shows at Expo 2020 this month – Vanoli said: “Tango represents the Argentinian feeling: our passion and our intensity.”
