Faced with the economic crisis in Argentina and political problems in Brazil, Uruguay was forced to rethink its promotional efforts to compensate for the loss of tourists from its two most important markets. Together with the AXON team, the Uruguayan Ministry of Tourism worked on a positioning and promotion campaign, aiming to position the country as a premium destination for the Mexican, Chilean, Colombian and Peruvian markets, with the objective of boosting tourism despite the connectivity problems with the destination.
The work plan included a strong public relations strategy aimed at the tourism press, influencers and social media content creators, as well as a training and education effort within the commercial chain, mainly OTAs, to bring the destination closer to potential travelers.
In addition, we worked on identifying and participating in strategic fairs and events in each market, aligned with the main segments and products with travel potential, and strategic alliances were formed with specialized publications such as Forbes and Cosas to promote the experiences of travelers and celebrities in Uruguay.
The results of this initiative were outstanding: Uruguay received the arrival of 3.7 million tourists from Latin American markets other than Brazil and Argentina, experienced an average annual growth of 10% in target markets, and achieved more than US$2.6 million in unpaid media coverage, reflecting a significant return on investment. Air connectivity also increased, with the opening of direct flights from Santiago and Bogota, and Uruguay was positioned among the top 10 tourist destinations.
The success of the campaign was also reflected in the attraction of investments in Uruguay by companies such as Manuelita (Colombia), Camposol (Peru) and Montes del Plata (Chile). This campaign won awards at the SABRE Awards Latin America and the FundaCom Awards, highlighting Uruguay’s effectiveness and creativity in turning challenges into opportunities in the global tourism landscape.
