Mercosur Tourism Ministers met in Iguazú

With Gustavo Santos as host of the meeting, maximum referents from each region's region reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together for sector growth at the regional level.

The highest national tourism authorities of the countries that make up Mercosur today expressed their willingness to continue to work together and permanently on the growth of tourism at the regional level, through the planning and implementation of public policies that favor the integration of their activities. peoples.

In the Iguazú Declaration – transmitted from this missionary city at the end of the XXII Meeting of Ministers of Tourism of MERCOSUR, attended by the Secretary of Tourism of the Nation, Gustavo Santos – also confirmed the will to continue to progress in planning. a river air connectivity network that promotes the development of tourist destinations, promotes investment and creates new link opportunities.

The document also stresses the need to consolidate a strategy for the joint promotion of tourism in distant markets, which allows the implementation of the planned actions and to promote the design of other actions, including those related to the countries of the Pacific Alliance. , especially with regard to trade. and cooperation in rural community tourism.

The Declaration also stresses the desire to work in coordination with the Inter-American Development Bank to advance the formation of the "Jesuit Way in South America", through the establishment of institutionalization and governance mechanisms, as well as brand, promotion and marketing actions. .

Other points refer to the need to develop coordinated policies at border posts facilitating the entry and exit of tourists in the region and the increase of tourist flows between our countries.

The ministers also expressed their interest in the development of integrated river and tourist circuits in the region, thus facilitating the harmonization of tourist navigation between the Mercosur countries.

They also expressed their willingness to strengthen the alliance between the public and private sectors of tourism in the region, with the aim of promoting the development, promotion and marketing of integrated tourist circuits, by promoting the work with the actors corresponding to facilitate the transit of tourists in the region and improve air-trade relations, the attractiveness of new airlines and the opening of airways promoting air connectivity.

Likewise, they offered their support to the joint candidacy of Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay as the organizer of the Football World Cup at the same time. horizon 2030, considering the considerable impact of the size of this event on tourism in our countries and the soaring economy of the region. .

Finally, they expressed their support for the campaign led by the Regional Action Group of the Americas (GARA), "Your voice can change everything", which aims to strengthen the prevention of exploitation of children and women. teenagers in travel and tourism. , strengthen awareness raising and promote the participation of the technical representatives of each State at the 12th GARA meeting (Paraguay, 13-15 November) and the dissemination of this call.

With Santos, the Declaration was signed by the Brazilian Minister of State for Tourism, Marcelo Álvaro Antonio; the Minister of Tourism of Paraguay, Sofía Montiel de Afara; Uruguay's Minister of Tourism, Liliam Kechichian; Vice-Minister of Tourism of Bolivia, Marcelo Arzegarcía, and National Director of Chile's Tourism Department, Andrea Wolleter.

At the beginning of the day, Santos also signed a declaration of technical cooperation on tourism and gastronomy with the governor of Misiones, Hugo Pbadalacqua, relating to the program COMI (provincial) and Plan Cocinar (national).

The agenda is concluded aboard the catamaran Victoria Austral, where Santos has signed an agreement on river and water tourism with the Minister of Tourism of Paraguay, Sofia Montiel of Afara.