“Black summer and the worst season in years,” says the former director of tourism of Villa Rumipal
In mid-March 2012, the president of the Córdoba Tourism Agency and leader of Pro Gustavo Santos celebrated 5 million visitors in the province . In reality, he was 2000 short, but who was going to take away his new record? This 2025, another yellow leader in the same chair, Darío Capitani, announced that Córdoba reached 1.6 million people by January 31 who chose the mountains to the cry of CULIAO
The current season is far from those numbers that were once overwhelming . There are no more plays like “Stravaganza” or remodeled theaters like the Luxor. Despite everything, the provincial office claims that the numbers are not negative and that they are 2% higher than the previous year with historic expenses that reached one billion pesos .
The former director of tourism of Villa Rumipal presented a 28-page report with data from national and international consulting firms, Argentine organizations and his own survey conducted in the region. With these numbers, Facundo Suárez tries to explain that this is one of the worst seasons in years.
He wades into the controversy and throws a stone into the calm waters of the San Roque. “It is necessary for the private sector to take the lead, this is not just a criticism of public bodies. We all have to react here,” says Suárez, trying to make sure no one gets away with it.
The worst season, according to SuarezFacundo Suárez came to his conclusion in the following way. He took as a starting point the expectation of people to go on vacation . To do so, he based himself on the consulting firm Management & Fit , which published in January that 68.4% of people did not plan to travel . Unlike other years, there were almost 9% more travelers who were going to stay at home, with lack of money being the reason chosen by 70% of those surveyed.
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The second fact is that of the 31% who could go on vacation, 68% would choose to stay in the country, with the Coast being the main destination (40%) followed by the mountains of Cordoba (19.5%).
But there are other key elements added to this data: the prices in Brazil and Chile drove them to show historic numbers of incoming visitors (75% more according to the Indec of Argentine departures) . So, the first conclusion is that those people who decided to vacation in the end were attracted by other international destinations. First bitter light.
What happened in CordobaSuárez limited himself to the data that he was able to compile privately in the Villa Rumipal area . He concluded that in 2025 , the average occupancy in the town was 70.6%. Compared to 2024, it is a drop of 6.7 percentage points and 11 points below 2011. Second warning light.
"This is not just a seasonal decline, but rather a reflection of a dying tourism system , victim of government negligence and a lack of joint vision with the private sector, which does not compete, finance, invest and exert pressure, which in turn condemns a key industry to the total failure of a sector that is fundamental to the economy and development of the province and the country," said Suárez.
According to the report, it is possible to detail "a decrease in occupancy compared to previous years, a reduction in the length of stays and a change in the preferences of tourists , with an increase in the choice of international destinations such as Brazil and Chile mainly."
Not every year is a record yearSuárez believes it is necessary to analyse tourism data in a cold-blooded manner in order to “contrast official information with reality: some officials boast of 'wonderful' or 'record-breaking' seasons , but this must be contrasted with a cold-blooded and objective analysis of the real situation.”
He said that “the objective is not to generate controversy, but to analyze the situation to find real solutions . There are issues that are too obvious: the real situation is palpable for those who live in the area. It is noticeable when you go out on the road or in the center of each city and when you talk to hoteliers and cabin owners. Officials give this information to save their management,” he said.
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