Uruguay's Upcoming Cruise Season Bears Watching

Uruguay is preparing for a record-breaking 2023/24 cruise season, with a total of 187 cruise calls and 324,000 visitors bringing an estimated $17.5 million to the local economy. In anticipation of the 2024/25 season, Uruguay will reduce port tariffs for cruise vessels by 20% and expand infrastructure with new facilities in Maldonado and marinas for large yachts in Carmelo and Colonia.

The announcements were made during the Tenth Regional Meeting of Cruise and Fluvial Tourism, held on August 1 and 2 in Punta del Este. Eduardo Sanguinetti, Uruguay's Tourism Minister, emphasized the need for strategies to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism growth. Despite the strong performance, he acknowledged the challenge of increasing the number of cruise vessels and visitors, improving port facilities, and enhancing service quality.

Daniel Loureiro from Uruguay's ports administration highlighted that cruise tourism is a regional market, requiring ports to provide top-notch services while addressing technological and environmental challenges. He also pointed out the competitive nature of the regional market, noting that Buenos Aires has halved docking costs for cruise vessels ahead of the upcoming season.

The meeting also saw participation from Chile's Deputy Tourism Minister Veronica Pardo Lagos, Brazilian tourism advisor Heitor Kadri, Marco Ferraz from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and representatives from Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises Argentina.