Uruguay seeks to position itself on the cruise map with a focus on regional growth and sustainable tourism

Pablo Menoni, Uruguay's Minister of Tourism, detailed the country's strategy to boost cruise tourism, improve connectivity, and consolidate itself as a sustainable destination with room for growth.

What are the objectives of participating in this fair?
The first is to showcase Uruguay firsthand. We came with a large delegation, not only from the Ministry of Tourism, but also from the National Ports Administration. We want to highlight the country's advantages both as a tourist destination and for secure investments. The second objective is to attract more tourism, especially cruise ship tourism.

How is Uruguay positioned to attract cruise ships?
Uruguay cannot work in isolation, so coordination with Brazil and Argentina is key, especially with ports like Rio de Janeiro, Santos, and Buenos Aires. Itineraries are regional, not focused on a single destination. Within this framework, Uruguay is competitive, even in terms of cost.

How do you manage tourism growth without negatively impacting local communities?
We are a country with a low population density and ample available land. We have more tourists than residents, but we don't have overcrowded destinations like in other cities around the world. On the contrary, we have room to grow, both in capacity and infrastructure.

What strategies do you have to attract more tourists in the coming years?
The main focus is on improving promotion and better segmenting it. Today we work based on travelers' interests, but we want to move towards more precise segmentation, supported by artificial intelligence.

In addition, we are promoting air connectivity by providing incentives to airlines, with rebate schemes for those that increase passenger flow to the country.

What trends are you seeing in tourism demand?
We see a growing demand for more sustainable and environmentally friendly tourism. Uruguay is already aligned with this trend, not only in tourism but also in its production matrix, with a high percentage of renewable energy.

What tourism products are you looking to promote?
We have great opportunities in rural and nature tourism, with experiences close to urban centers that combine landscapes, gastronomy and outdoor activities.

We also want to develop wellness tourism, especially in the coastal thermal region, where we have natural resources backed by scientific studies.