JOIN URUGUAY - Advice & Information

Join the wonderful Atlantic Ocean coast in the relaxing and pleasant cruise ship vacations in Uruguay.

Cruises tourism in Uruguay delights thousands of passengers every year because of its beautiful beaches and port cities. The main ports of call and destination are the port of Montevideo and Punta del Este.

Check our links of Punta del Este and Montevideo to find complete information about these wonderful coast cities of Uruguay.

Evolution of the cruises toursim industry in Uruguay

Uruguay presents a growing industry of cruises industry that every year produces significant revenues for the country. Big efforts are being made through public and private agents to develop the industry and to improve the international promotion, which generates optimism looking ahead.

Agents that are involved

The Ministry of Tourism, private operators and the National Port Administration join forces to promote Uruguay as a tourist destination for cruise ships around the world.

Inbound tour operators, promotion agencies, maritime supplier firms and international companies that represent the cruises ships, are involved in the cruise tourism sector and regulated by the public Ministries.

Industry characteristics

The sector shows a remarkable dynamic, with sustained growth that generates high expectations for the future. These factors help to develop infrastructure projects, and benefit the international promotion.

The internal Minister of Tourism, Liliam Kechichián, reported the latest data obtained of the cruises season, which runs from November 2007 to April 2008. It was confirmed that in the period 169 cruise ships visited Uruguay. These figures indicate that there was a significant increase from 2005 to date. Kechichián added that for next season, this upward trend will continue.

It is estimated that 101 cruises arrived at Port of Montevideo and 68 at Port of Punta del Este. This shows that in the past three years there was a growth of 50 cruises in Montevideo in 2005 and 12 cruises in Punta del Este.

As reported by the daily newspaper “El Pais” on the list of nations with more appropriate conditions to develop the tourism industry(published last March 1), Uruguay ranks 56 of 124 nations. It is located in a position above other nations in the region as Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Peru and below Chile.

Trends

Cruises tourism in Uruguay increased by 21 percent: There were 117,272 passengers during the 2006-2007 season.

It grew significantly the number of cruise ships visiting Punta del Este as the number of passengers, which confirms that the international prestige of this resort is overtaking the cruise tourism.

It was a record season because of the number of passengers that arrived and especially by the number of ports of calls that made some boats, as the "Norwegian Crown" that visited 11 times, "Costa Romantica" 8 and "Rotterdam" 8 times.

These means an impressive growth, measured as 21%, compared with the previous season (season 06/07 - season 07/08), and expecting to have a better season next time.

The outstanding notes were eminent arrival of the world's largest ship, the "Queen Mary 2" of 345 meters long which arrived for third time to Montevideo, the "Golden Princess," which arrived for the first time. In addition, Uruguay was visited by the small but exclusive cruise "Seadream I", which was previously "Sea Goddes I". This ship visited Punta del Este, Montevideo, Piriapolis, Colonia and Buceo’s port, generating an interesting flow of visitors. Royal Caribbean announced their port calls will increase to Montevideo.

These ships for 700 passengers have the advantage of flexibility destination for its smaller capacity, size and depth. They wonder to make travel routes called "expedition" that can reach destinies that big cruises cannot arrive.

Uruguay, positive balance for the inbound tourism

Despite the inconveniences generated by the unfavorable exchange rates of the region and some political differences, the last season results are clearly favorable in the economic aspect and diversification of destinies in our country of those who visit us. A separate line is the notorious increase in the arrival of cruise ships from all around the world.

During the Carnival week in Uruguay arrived 54% more tourists in comparison with the previous year, due to the assistance of a huge number of Brazilians.

In this year also reached a 2 thousand 900 visitors from Chile, in 2006 were 740, so there was a growth of 163%.

09 APR 08

The number of cruises arriving in Uruguay was tripled in three years. The last Tourism Week, foreign visitors increased by 31%. In the 2008 summer season, the Argentine tourism income rose 50%, compared to the previous year. This was reported by the secretary for Tourism and Sport, Liliam Kechichián, who highlighted the steady growth of regional and extra-regional tourism entering to the country.

Prospects

At the end of the 2006-2007 cruises season, the president of the ANP (National Port Administration) Fernando Puntigliano, affirmed that Montevideo is one of the ports that had higher growth in this sector. Uruguay receives every year 150.000 cruise passengers. In 2006, the country’s revenues from this sector were US$ 4,500,000.

During this season, cruises called 30% more port of Punta del Este and 10% more the port of Montevideo. There were also joined to the circuit three new scales: the port of Piriápolis, Colonia and the Buceo’s port in Montevideo.

The cruise activity at the Port of Montevideo has been growing at a rate of 16% annually in recent years. Puntiglinao said that it encourages all actors to improve the supply services and technologies.

The development of the cruises industry is a commitment to the Uruguay progress, considering the port of Montevideo the favorite destination for this type of luxury boats arriving in the region.

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