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🇺🇾 Uruguay /Technology

Uruguay Launches Subsidized Tourism Program for Low-Income Citizens via Digital Platform

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Uruguay's government is launching a new digital platform to offer subsidized tourism packages to low-income individuals.
  • Subsidies will vary from 20% to 100% based on income levels, calculated on average costs for accommodation, transport, and food.
  • The initial phase will target 50 users from 'Uruguay Crece Contigo' and 100 retirees, with a budget of 20 million Uruguayan pesos for 2026.

El País highlights a significant initiative by the Uruguayan government aimed at democratizing tourism through the launch of the 'Sistema Nacional de Turismo Social' (National Social Tourism System). President Yamandú Orsi's administration is rolling out a digital platform designed to provide subsidized travel opportunities for citizens with lower incomes. Minister of Tourism, Pablo Menoni, detailed the plan, emphasizing its scalability and digital nature, moving away from manual processes. The subsidies are structured progressively: individuals earning between six and ten 'Bases de Prestaciones y Contribuciones' (BPC) will receive a 20% subsidy, those earning three to six BPC will get 40%, and those earning less than three BPC will receive a full 100% subsidy. These percentages are calculated based on an average cost of 10,000 Uruguayan pesos per person for a two-night stay, including travel, meals, and experiences. The initial phase will pilot the program with 50 participants from the 'Uruguay Crece Contigo' program and 100 retirees, demonstrating a targeted approach to ensure the system's effectiveness. The Ministry of Tourism has allocated a budget of 20 million pesos for 2026, with plans to increase it to 30 million pesos annually in subsequent years. This initiative reflects a commitment to social inclusion, allowing more Uruguayans to experience the country's tourist attractions, fostering national pride and economic activity within the tourism sector. The digital platform, accessible via 'gub.uy' or digital identity, aims to streamline the process for both users and tourism operators, marking a modern approach to social welfare programs.

We seek for the National Social Tourism System to be, first, scalable. We cannot continue to handle this manually. It has to be systemic and digital.

· Pablo MenoniExplaining the government's strategy to modernize and expand the social tourism program.
About this summary

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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