This important event, supported by the provincial government, brings together approximately 2,800 participants of 53 nationalities, with significant international participation and representation from all of Argentina's provinces.
In this regard, Querciali stated that "together with the organizers, we are extremely satisfied with the turnout. We are just hours away from the start, but for weeks we have been observing runners from all over the world, from our country, and of course from our province, training and completing the final runs of the various distances."
"This action not only positions the End of the World as a venue for major sporting events, but also impacts our local economy, as it involves the use of services, excursions, gastronomy, among others," he stated.
It is worth mentioning that last year the President of the Fuegian Tourism Institute accompanied the event organizer in Argentina to Chamonix, France, where this UTMB date was confirmed, in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.
In this regard, Querciali explained that "I have experienced firsthand, through this invitation, the importance of this event, the mobilization it generates, and how the experiences shared are multiplied abroad because many of the runners and their companions will be the ones spreading the word about the attractions our destination offers, the experience of the race itself, its organization, and logistics."
Regarding this last point, the official placed special emphasis on the work carried out by the Provincial Government and the Municipality of Ushuaia, who worked together to provide the organization with everything related to road safety, the Gendarmerie, Civil Defense, the Ministry of Health, and all the logistics involved in an event of this magnitude.
Regarding the support provided by the Institute, Querciali explained that “for months, the different technical areas have been providing advice for this event. The Tourism Planning Department has been working on obtaining circuit permits to access the Tierra Mayor Nature and Landscape Reserve, while the Tourism Promotion Department has provided support by encouraging the holding of a sustainable event, with the premise of caring for our natural environment. They will also provide support to the sports press and elite runners by promoting the attractions of the destination.”
Similarly, the INFUETUR Statistics Department, together with the event organizer, will conduct a survey of attendee demand in order to collect relevant information about the destination and evaluate the impact of the competition on the area, with a particular focus on the runners' experience. They consider that “the analysis of the tourism and economic impact of the event in Tierra del Fuego is very useful, as well as helping us a lot for future events.”
In conclusion, the head of INFUETUR urged caution among hikers and tour operators on Friday and Saturday, when the trails of the Tierra Mayor Valley Reserve will be explored, and he predicted an excellent event for the organizers, the supporting institutions, and the participants who come to challenge the scenery at the End of the World.