Destino Argentina presents in São Paulo its strategy to reposition the country in luxury tourism

On July 2nd and 3rd, São Paulo hosted another stage of the international agenda of the Destino Argentina association, an initiative dedicated to promoting luxury tourism in Argentina. With an intense program that brought together operators and travel agents in the morning, in business meetings, and the press in the evening, at the Corrientes 348 restaurant, in Jardim Europa, the meeting consolidated Brazil as a key player in the country's repositioning in the high-end tourism scene.

The event was marked by speeches from leading representatives of the sector, who addressed the economic, cultural and behavioral transformations that shape the profile of today's traveler – and Argentina's role in this context.

Institutional vision and new moment in Argentina

Daniel Manzella, president of the Argentine Destination Chamber and Vice President of the Argentine Hotel Association (AHT), highlighted that the country is undergoing a phase of transformation, with a focus on sustainable tourism, authentic experiences and personalized services. According to him, “luxury today is not only in the products, but in the way they are offered, with hospitality and care.”

Argentina's Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports, Daniel Scioli, reinforced the Argentine government's efforts to improve air connectivity, relax visa requirements and ensure greater security for visitors. He pointed out that the economic recovery is paving the way for more competitive and qualified tourism: "We want to show a different Argentina, one that reinvents itself and welcomes visitors with excellence."

Market players: technology, regionalization and new profiles

Representatives from the private sector also presented analyses on the behavior of Brazilian travelers. Ligia Secco and Filipe Barbosa, from Raro - Community for Regenerative Tourism, showed how large operators that previously operated in mass tourism are now investing in the luxury segment, with intensive use of technology to reach regions outside of large urban centers. According to Barbosa, “there is significant growth in the North and Northeast regions, driven by agribusiness consumers, who are beginning to seek high-end experiences.”

The role of luxury consortiums — such as Virtuoso, Serandipians, Takumianos and the national Luxperts — was also cited by Secco as relevant to maintaining traveler loyalty and fostering global networking.

International trends and a look at Brazil

Simon Mayle, director of ILTM North America and Latin America events, presented optimistic data: global luxury tourism is growing 8% per year, but in Brazil the forecast is 63% by 2030. He highlighted the profile of the Brazilian tourist as multigenerational, demanding and with high purchasing power, which makes the market a priority for destinations such as Argentina.

Guilherme Ferreira, from Preferred Hotels & Resorts, spoke about the different profiles of Latin American luxury travelers, and reinforced that Argentina offers unique experiences that are still being discovered: “The country's natural beauty is an asset that needs to be further explored in campaigns”.

Connectivity, product and loyalty

Leonardo Mignani, commercial vice president of Teresa Perez Tours, highlighted that the number of Brazilians traveling to Argentina has remained significant, but most of them fly with low-cost airlines. He believes that the destination’s narrative needs to be renewed: “We have to present new experiences, new hotels, to keep interest alive.”

Luciana Dutra, also from Teresa Perez, highlighted the importance of creating differences: “Standardization in experiences — what we call 'beijification' — drives away sophisticated travelers. We need to continually innovate.”

A new cycle, with new protagonists

Throughout the event, it became clear that Argentina’s repositioning in luxury tourism requires a collaborative approach between government, companies, agents and operators. Destino Argentina’s actions will now move to other global capitals, with upcoming stops confirmed in Mexico, the USA, Spain, Italy and Türkiye.

Report: Mary de Aquino.
 

Photo: Disclosure.