The national audiovisual production as well as the opening to the international market as a content generator, and also as a provider of production, development and distribution services, have been institutionalized thanks to the latest measures adopted by the government.
MINTUR joins the joint work for the growth of the audiovisual industry in Uruguay
In this line, the general director of the Secretariat of the Ministry of Tourism, Ignacio Curbelo, participated in two activities both in Uruguay and abroad where it was highlighted that the audiovisual industry "is very important and developed in Uruguay", and that it has grown exponentially in Paradoxically, during the Covid-19 pandemic, that is why the Ministry decided to join the work teams that seek to continue materializing new audiovisual projects that arrive in our country.
The hierarch expressed that "Uruguay was one of the first countries in the world to open its doors" so that international producers could come to film, with strict sanitary protocols.
As a result, the hours of filming in the country quadrupled, and the export of audiovisual services tripled from 27 million dollars to 84 million. "All this has an impact on tourism, on what we do, it generates employment." In this sense, Curbelo remarked that there are more than 1,500 specialized technicians in the sector and that each production generates a quantity of alternative work.
In addition, in the town where it is filmed, the economy of the place benefits from the consumption of tourist products, such as gastronomy, transportation, accommodation, logistics, etc., said the general director of MINTUR and that there is also a very important fact : tourists increasingly choose their destination, based on the places they see in productions, movies, series or advertisements. “That remains engraved in the retina of the people, who live an emotional and visual experience on the screen, and then that motivates them to travel to that place,” said Curbelo.
Likewise, Curbelo highlighted Uruguay in several aspects, highly valued by international production companies: “a country of short distances, with a good road network, a relatively stable climate throughout the year, 600 km. of coasts, beautiful beaches that allow you to film quietly out of season, mountains, rural spaces and a cultural diversity that favors all these productions”.
In relation to tax benefits, the minister remarked that Uruguay offers a series of incentives that are competitive in the region. He highlighted the "Cash Rebate", which is a reimbursement of production expenses, with a cap of one million dollars. Depending on the cost of production, the expenses generated by this concept are returned to the international producer, up to a million dollars as a limit.
In addition, the 22% VAT is exempt from the production costs of projects filmed in the country. For example: rental of equipment, locations, furniture and props, hiring of technicians, insurance, transportation, catering, hotel costs and the construction of scenery, among others.
Curbelo also referred to the regime of temporary admission of goods, which the producers need and use to quickly and easily bring their equipment, exempt from taxes, more than 36 tax agreements with different different countries to avoid double taxation, regarding regarding income and property taxes, which guarantees non-discrimination in taxes.
In reference to the national production, Curbelo referred to the film Greg Mortimer, a documentary that the Ministry of Tourism supported with a national tour, and which has now been presented in Miami, United States. This film recalls the odyssey that the Australian, New Zealand, American and European passengers of the Greg Mortimer tourist cruise suffered at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, when they arrived in Uruguay with 128 infected with Covid, after being prevented from disembarking in Chile and Argentina. In Uruguay, the Ministries of Public Health and Foreign Relations coordinated an assistance and landing operation that was applauded around the world.
This international projection took place within the scope of the invitation received by Curbelo and a delegation made up of members of the Uruguayan American Film Association, by the Uruguayan American Chamber of Commerce.
Two presentations were made, highlighting the benefits that Uruguay offers for audiovisual productions, and how they are a very efficient promotional tool for a tourist destination.
The Ministry of Tourism decided to support the promotion of this documentary abroad since through it the spirit of solidarity of the Uruguayan people is transmitted, and it generates the interest of viewers to learn more about Uruguayans and their culture.
“It is filmed in an incredible way. It had a great impact. This year, which marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Australia, a calendar tour is planned and perhaps there may also be some joint activity”, said Curbelo in relation to the film Greg Mortimer and the possibility of showing it in that country.
MINTUR's support for the audiovisual industry is aligned with that of the national government, which in 2022 created the National Uruguay Audiovisual Agency, whose mission is to centralize all the programs, processes and support that the government gives to this industry.
Lastly, the general director of MINTUR recently participated in the Punta Show Entertainment panel, an event that brought together authorities, national and international experts, and leaders from the Audiovisual, Telecommunications, and Entertainment Industry to discuss the challenges, difficulties, and opportunities in the digital age.
The following topics were discussed at this event: the fight against piracy, public and private initiatives for inclusion through connectivity and regulation, Latin American television, gaming, streaming, content for various audiences, and the evolution of OTT platforms. .
Contributions: Focus Punta del Este (Rosanna Freda), Pasaporte News (Darío Queirolo) and María Noel Coates.