Tourism sector leaders call for sustained investment and policy stability

Tourism industry representatives in Paraguay and Argentina are highlighting the need for stable institutional frameworks and consistent funding to ensure sector growth.

In Paraguay, Rosanna Leticia Fustagno, president of the Paraguayan Association of Travel Agencies and Tourism Companies (Asatur), stated that any institutional reorganization, such as integrating the National Secretariat of Tourism (Senatur) into a ministry linked to Industry and Commerce, must be supported by sufficient resources. Fustagno emphasized that administrative changes alone do not guarantee growth; instead, the sector requires dedicated budgets, infrastructure improvements, better connectivity, and sustained international promotion.

In Argentina, the Río Negro Tourism Agency (ATUR) has received approximately US$ 5 million in provincial allocations for 2026, with projections reaching US$ 6.6 million by year-end. Despite legally guaranteed funding derived from tourism-related gross income taxes, the agency faces operational challenges, including the resignation of its general director, Diego Piquín. These difficulties have sparked debates regarding the agency's institutional model and its ability to maintain the dynamism intended by its creation.