More English Speakers Join the party
20/01/2010
Punta del Este, South America’s premier beach resort located in Uruguay, appears to be having a record breaking 2009/2010 summer season (December, January, and February) with more visitors and more English speakers than Ever before. English speakers from North America and Western Europe started building as a significant market group in 2005 as the region steadied and then boomed following the 2002 regional financial crisis.
Punta del Este’s summer vacationers traditionally come from Argentina followed by other Southern Cone countries such as Brazil, Paraguay, and Chile. Until recent years, most English speakers vacationing in Punta have had family or business ties to South America, or been part of a jet-owning international crowd that has Punta marked as a favorite New Year’s spot.
However, this changed as stories about Punta del Este’s recovery and new prosperity appeared in various North American publications. In March of 2005, a New York Times article by Larry Rohter reported that “Punta del Este Sparkles Once More Day and Night.” In 2006 Travel & Leisure reported that Punta del Este was making a comeback in “The Party Picks Up”. And by October 2007 American Express’s Departures magazine reported that Punta del Este was “Better than Ibiza” and declared the Punta del Este community of José Ignacio was the new “epicenter of global hip”.
Prior to 2005 it was difficult for an unconnected non-Spanish speaker to get by in Punta del Este. But as English speakers have become identified as an important market group, more and more travel and hospitality businesses have adapted themselves to serve the needs of English speakers.
Punta del Este has great beaches, a long menu of sports and entertainment options, good food, and endless night life. But, one of the things I appreciate most is Punta del Este’s economic optimism. A few months before high season, I noticed several new stores and restaurants opening up. It seemed like a bold thing to be starting a new business on the tails of a global economic crisis, however, the pre-season optimism has proved to be well-founded as Punta del Este shines brighter than ever day and night.
By David Hammond
www.expatdailynews.com