San Pedro, Uruguay, transforms into Agritourist destination

The entire small farming town of San Pedro, near the city of Colonia del Sacramento (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in western Uruguay, has transformed itself and turned to Agro-ecoTourism as a new source of livelihood, reports Luis Alberto Carro with IPS News.

This was once an area of prosperous dairy farms and small-scale agriculture. It fell onto hard times after the country's severe financial crisis in 2002 and in neighbouring Argentina a year earlier. Residents of San Pedro decided to fight their misfortune. They created the Rural Tourism Group (Grutur), made up of members such as "Vivero Yatay - a nursery and park of native plants - the Parque Brisas del Plata campground, the 'Los Tres Botones' farm, where visitors can have a ride on a horse or in a cart and eat typical rural meals out under the blue sky, and the Tourn Museum, which includes antique tools and farm machinery manufactured by the Tourns, a family of Italian immigrants." Many took courses in English, computers, basket-weaving and herb-growing, and also from doctors and psychologists. Further they have trademarked local products under "Las Sanpedrinas".

Also linked to the group are operators of dairy farms that grow organic produce, horseback riding, cabin rentals in the countryside and museums. Grutur holds rural fairs or festivals to showcase attractions and products.

Uruguay's tourism industry is a billion dollar a year industry, according to Carro. It provides "50,000 direct jobs and more than 120,000 indirect jobs, based on an economically sustainable model that is respectful of the environment and local culture. Tourism attracts mostly Urugaynans and Argentinians. About 10% of visitors are from outside these countries.

"Eighty Rural Tourist destinations are registered with Uruguay's Tourism Ministry. Also part of Rural Tourism destinations in Urugauay are wineries, guest ranches, rural bed-and-breakfasts, and even an old quarry. The Ministry is preparing a tourism development plan for 2009-2020 that will include the country's 19 provinces and Rural Tourism -- designed to benefit local residents.