With what aspects would you associate the province of Catamarca to present it to the general public?
It has a really beautiful landscape. The Central Valley is surrounded by mountains whose peaks were snowfall, even in autumn. In the valley and in the northwest of Catamarca, there are unlimited resources and many activities for tourists, always with a calling to serve others. With regard to personal interaction, it is a province with very warm, friendly and hospitable people. We also have excellent routes throughout the province. The San Francisco pass, which connects us with Chile, is very used and nice to travel in the mountain area. Catamarca offers beauty and resources everywhere.
What is the proposal of the Catamarca Hotel and Casino for people interested in visiting this province?
For some years now, we have been focusing on local and regional development. We are a hotel that is complemented by the casino to dedicate a wide and attractive offer to tourists. From the different management areas, our premise is to put people in the first place, with a premium international service, and constant training of our staff. Six months ago, we opened a restaurant-bar for more than 130 piece cutlery in the casino with the goal of strengthening that customer service. There is an extensive and colorful stage that regularly includes (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) various high-level artists, mainly from the north of Argentina, to provide extra entertainment to the gaming room visitors. Our dinner shows are already well known, held every Saturday night of the year. Of course, people are very grateful got this type of attention. Our analysis suggests that people who come to San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca have an interesting and enjoyable option to relax and entertain.
How do you see today the situation of the province at the tourist level?
Currently, I think it is a bit calmed, but with projects. There are huge resources and strong growth perspectives in this business, and I believe that this progress will promptly consolidate. Regarding our hotel, in the last three or four years, there was an advance in the presence of visitors on extended weekends, with a longer stay. Perhaps, at one time, San Fernando, the capital of Catamarca, was a city of passage, but today, without a doubt, it became a destination to be discovered by tourists. That is, business tourism has been maintained and leisure tourism has increased.
What are the next goals for the sector?
Beyond the difficult economic situation that the country is going through, from the direction of the company, there is a philosophy of continuing to generate projects and postulating creative ideas that boost business increase. We know that there is a young audience that seeks adventure tourism, and our province is prepared to receive them and provide them accommodation. In our resort, events and shows, the fascination of the casino and an innovative gastronomic and beverage offer accumulate to produce an unforgettable experience in the visitor. Of course, we must add the attractiveness of the landscape of the province. In the future, we intend that investments that come from the strong mining industry of Catamarca also go to tourism, in order to stimulate the creation of employment in this segment. With this growth approach, by the end of the year, we will open a casino hotel in the Termas de Fiambala, located 320 kilometers from the capital of the province. We also believe that, from the public sector (through improvements in transport and infrastructure), this private effort will be accompanied to propel Catamarca’s progress.