Tourism in Argentina

Tourism in Argentina is favoured by its ample and varied natural assets (made possible by its geographical extension) and by its cultural offerings.

In 2005, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census, tourism from abroad grew 12% with respect to 2004 and became the third largest source of income for the country, producing 3,254.5 million USD (8.1% of the goods and service exports). There were about 3.7 million visitors, and for the first time more foreigners visited Argentina than Argentinians travelled abroad.

For the first quarter of 2006, INDEC recorded 560,265 foreign tourists (22% more than in the same period of 2005). Of these, 31% came from Europe, 19.2% from the United States and Canada, 14.2% from Brazil, 9.1% from Chile, 3.2% from other neighbouring countries, and 14.1% from the rest of the Americas; the rest of the world accounted for 9.2%.

Tourist sites

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, considered by travellers the "Paris of the Southern Hemisphere", offers a broad range of cultural activities. Visitors may choose to visit a tango show, or an estancia in the Province of Buenos Aires, or to enjoy traditional asado. Lately new tourist circuits have evolved, devoted to famous Argentinians such as Carlos Gardel, Eva Perón or Jorge Luis Borges. Due to the favourable exchange rate, its shopping centers, such as Alto Palermo, Paseo Alcorta, Patio Bullrich, Abasto de Buenos Aires and Galerías Pacífico, are frequently visited by tourists.

San Telmo is a well-known traditional area in the south of city. It has a long history, houses from colonial times and cobblestoned streets. One can see impressive churches, museums, antique shops and "Antique Fairs" ('Ferias de Antiguedades') in historic Dorrego Square around which, one finds actors in the street, tango dancers and, of course, many tourists.

The Penitentiary Museum ("Museo Penitenciario") is a Jesuit building that was a prison for more than 150 years. The 300 year old Church of San Pedro Telmo represents the Catholic Order of Samaritans, conserving antique images on the windows and walls. "Pasaje la Defensa" ("Defensa Arcade") was an old residence that now is a marketplace with cafés and antique shops. People that like tango will enjoy a show at "El Viejo Almacen", a colonial-era corner store rebuilt as a music hall by famous tango vocalist Edmundo Rivero.

Barrio Norte and Puerto Madero are two upscale neighborhoods often in tourists' itinerary for their architecture and variety of social, cultural and nightlife events.

Northern Region

* Iguazu Falls, located on the northeast of Argentina, are the best known falls in the area and have a good infrastructure for the traveller and plenty of activities to be done in the area. The falls and the area surrounding are part of the Iguazú National Park that preserves the local subtropical rainforest ecosystem. The most impressive of the falls is known as the Devil's Throat, shared with Brazil.
*The Train to the Clouds, offers a view to the stark contrasts of the province of Salta. It begins in the city of Salta city ascends to San Antonio de los Cobres, reaching an altitude over 4,000 meters.

*Quebrada de Humahuaca
*
*Valles Calchaquíes
*Talampaya
*Valle de la Luna
*Esteros del Iberá
*Parana River
*Puna de Atacama
*Calamuchita Valley
*Sierras de Córdoba
*Mar Chiquita, Córdoba Argentina
*Traslasierra
*San Ignacio Miní

outhern Region

*Los Glaciares National Park, where glaciers that drain the Southern Patagonian Ice Field end in the Lago Argentino, blocking one of its bays until the pressure of the water blows the ice dam.

*Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, located in Tierra del Fuego, is a typical destination in southern Patagonia.

*Bariloche - San Carlos de Bariloche is a city in the Río Negro Province, situated on the foothills of the Andes, surrounded by lakes (Nahuel Huapi, Gutiérrez Lake, Moreno and Mascardi) and mountains (Tronador, Cerro Catedral, Cerro López). It is famous for skiing but also great for sight-seeing, water sports, trekking and climbing. Cerro Catedral is one of the most important ski centers in South America.

*Peninsula Valdés is widely considered to be one of the best places in the world for the observation of wildlife, mainly sea mammals. Although Southern Right Whales are the main attraction elephant seals, sea lions, Magellanic penguins and orcas are also well represented.

*Santa Cruz Province is known for its remoteness and for landmarks like the Perito Moreno Glacier, "Laguna del Carbon" (the lowest geographical point in the Americas), Mount Fitz Roy (shared with Chile) and the Petrified Forests National Monument, as well as the vast patagonian plateau and pebble beaches.

Other destinations

*Other destinations: Mar del Plata, the main sea resort of Argentina and other maritime resorts like Cariló, Villa Gesell, Monte Hermoso, Pehuencó, Las Grutas (in Río Negro), Rada Tilly in Chubut; The Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the western hemisphere and nearby Las Leñas ski resort; Quilmes Ruins, of worldwide interest to achaeologisits; Bariloche, Villa La Angostura, San Martín de los Andes, Junín de los Andes, El Bolsón, Esquel, Trevelin, Los Antiguos, Copahue, Caviahue, near snow capped mountains with temperate rainforests and glaciar lakes; San Rafael and Mendoza, where the best wines of Argentina are made.

Tourism centering around fauna is also popular, particularly whale-watching in Puerto Madryn. Other well-known mountain resorts are: Carlos Paz, Cosquín, La Falda, Capilla del Monte, Villa de Merlo, Tinogasta, Villa Cura Brochero, Mina Clavero, Villa Nougués, Villa General Belgrano, Tilcara, Cafayate, Iruya, Villa La Angostura and Tafí del Valle.

World Heritage Sites

These are the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in Argentina [http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ar] .

*Cave of the Hands ("Cueva de las Manos"), Río Pinturas. Has prehistoric cave paintings (WHS since 1999).
*Iguazú National Park, home of Iguazu Falls (1984).
*Ischigualasto / Talampaya National Parks and its paleontologic formations (2000).
*Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba in Córdoba Province (Cultural Heritage) (2000).
*Jesuit missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, "Santa Ana", "Nuestra Señora de Loreto" and "Santa Maria Mayor" (1984).
*Los Glaciares National Park and the Perito Moreno Glacier (1981).
*Península Valdés, a marine wildlife preserve (1999).
*Quebrada de Humahuaca, World Cultural Landscape for its scenic natural beauty and historical sights (2003).

National Parks

Argentina has an extensive National Park system, preserving sights of natural beauty, which includes the following:

*Lanín National Park
*El Palmar National Park
*Iguazú National Park
*Los Alerces National Park
*Los Arrayanes National Park
*Nahuel Huapi National Park
*Talampaya National Park
*Tierra del Fuego National Park

Image Gallery

A selection of Postcards:

* 1] Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires
* 2] Mar del Plata
* 3] Aconcagua
* 4] Sea Lions Island, Beagle Channel
* 5] Old Patagonian Express
* 6] San Martín de los Andes
* 7] Cathedral, San Carlos de Bariloche
* 8] Tigre, Buenos Aires
* 9] Paraná Delta
* 10] "Estancia La Oriental", Junin (Pampas region)
* 11] Tucuman Valley
* 12] Villavicencio Springs Hotel, Mendoza Province

See also

*List of national parks of Argentina
*Culture of Argentina
*Cuisine of Argentina

External links

*es iconen icon [http://www.turismo.gov.ar Secretariat of Tourism]
*en icon Wikitravelpar|Argentina

References

* [http://www.indec.gov.ar Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos] (INDEC), Encuesta de Turismo Internacional (ETI).