Uruguay, unlike some Latin American neighbours, has strong social coherence and a stable system of political parties. Also good to mention, the country produces no less than (!) 97 percent of its electricity sustainably. How can this small South American country – half the size of Germany, with barely half the population of Switzerland – be socially and economically successful in close proximity to such large and politically divided states as Brazil and Argentina?
How can this country isolate and differentiate itself from its neighbors despite a very similar society, history and geography? The answer is... the politics... Uruguay is one of the most stable democracies in the world. On the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index, Uruguay ranks 13th, three places below Switzerland and two places above Germany. According to this index, Uruguay is the only fully-fledged democracy in South America. The country is one of the few states in the world that has been continuously improving their democracy for more than fifteen years. Chapeau! ✅ If the above appeals to you, I probably don't have to explain to you why Uruguay is an interesting country for a real estate investment. Good to know, in the spring of 2023 we are organizing a Real Estate (agriculture) trip to Uruguay.
0 Comments
Last March I traveled to Curaçao and I loved the tremendous hospitality. Incredible, how friendly and full of humor all the local people are. They really make the difference. We booked (all not sponsored!) 10 nights Papagayo Resort, TUI flights and car hire with Budget (through Sunny Cars). I can recommend it all. Your experience at Papagayo Resort can be influenced by the location of your villa. Make sure you check these details. We were unfortunate with the batery of the car, but '24-7 Wegenwacht' Curaçao helped us, again with a smile, within aprox 30 minutes. In the highlighted Curaçao stories on the Love for Latin America Instagram you'll find more details about this trip. During the Covid-19 pandemic tourism in Curaçao was extreme low. Knowing that tourism-related economic activities such as accommodation, food serving and trade play an important role on the islands, you can imagine the impact was huge for all inhabitants. Respect that they managed to recover this quick and that they are still with the same smile and their great sense of hospitality. This was not my first time on the island. Also this time I experienced the resilience of the population and I saw that the island improved again. I'll mention some of what I noticed this time;
I love the authenticity of Curaçao. Let me explain this to you; Of course the great hotels, fantastic restaurants, beautiful white beaches and the clearest blue water is a great asset, but for me the people of Curacao make the difference. They are always cheerful, always singing and dancing. They have a great sense of hospitality, they are caring and incredibly sweet. A waitress last week; "please, just sit and enjoy your diner and view, I'm here to take care of you". And I love their humor; a concierge last week, when my husband asked him duct tape to repair his suitcase; you need that for your wife? (pointing at his mouth)" 😂 They make Curaçao. . . Curaçao. Covid-19 had a great impact on the global hospitality. Old, legendary reputations mean nothing now that so many people dedicated to the craft of hospitality did not return post-Covid. This impact is huge and this is underestimated by the luxury hospitality. Being housed in a unique building, in a beautiful location, with the finest linen, the most beautiful flowers in the reception area and so on, is fantastic and certainly contributes to the experience, but in the end the employees are the icing on the cake. With their knowledge and skills (human capital) but above all their personality, they can make or break a hospitality experience. In the Netherland it's already a fact that the best didn't come back 🙁 I'm so happy that this doesn't seems the case within Latin America. It was so good to see that these nice Caribbean people returned to their hospitality jobs. My husband has been to Curaçao, usually Papagayo Resort, lots of times in the last 25 years. Me, unfortunately, less frequent and 2012 for the first time. Last week, during our recent stay, we spoke a lot about the island and her positive and negative changes. Capital investments in tourism are good for the economy. That's what we also read in the local newspaper 'Antilliaans Dagblad' last week. No coincidence. But in our point of view capital investments in tourism are fine when they recognize untapped value in hospitality assets, and then recognize that value by delivering improvement in business operations. Unfortunately it's not always like that and quite common the investors goal is making money on the back of the local people or the location. Jan Thiel started off nicely small-scale, with beautiful nature in the surroundings and with a great potential for the luxury tourists. But what happens when investors don't recognize value in hospitality assets and they don't improve their business operations and/or money making predominates? Jan Thiel now comes more in line with s’Arenal Mallorca or Paceville Malta or Playa den Bossa Ibiza... We saw a bigger amount of (cheap) sunbeds, we heard songs like 'Dancing on dangerous' in the early morning loud from the speakers, jet skis and other entertainment with no added value and more of this all. Also taking into account that the traffic on the Carracasbaaiweg is increasing above capacity. Unfortunately, that was our experienced during last stay. . . In the evening an empty Papoagayo beachclub and empty restaurant whilst the other places at Jan Thiel were packed. The excuse of Papagayo, shameless: it's low season. But it's not and all other restaurants at Jan Thiel are fully booked. During the day we saw some drinks and/or water bottles from 'van den Tweel' supermarket near sunbathing people on their sunbeds. In our point of view these water bottles and/or wine should have been served by Papagayo in a cooler of the beachclub. For us to order something it took ages and the quality was poor and above all served and/or prepared without a soul. Unbelievable... The potential of Papagayo, and Jan Thiel in particular, is huge. Make it feel as the luxury Bon Bini Jan Thiel and don't destroy it. Curaçao is of the locals, the 'brand' of the island should be protected and tourism needs a strategic policy. Tourists are allowed on the island for a holiday every now and then and investors are given opportunities to create within the guidelines of their 'number crunching'. Heavy emphasis on financial analysis often becomes the goal, but all the analyzing does not lead to creation. Analysis paralyses. An example, compare it to the people who buy a Rolls Royce or a Bentley. They sit proudly in their car and conveniently forget that it is a means of transport. They are not going anywhere. They create nothing, they just consume. Curaçao, please be careful with the island and don't believe everything the investors are promising. The value of one's own culture and awareness of it should always be the starting point. More opportunities for the locals, collaborate with investors and distribute the proceeds fairly. Collectivity leads nowhere, we need creativity. A good example is the collaboration of Jacob Gelt Dekker and the residents of Otrobanda. Philanthropist Jacob Gelt Dekker, who passed away in 2019, invested in less than ten years more than 60 million euros to make the Otrobanda neighborhood liveable again. He had a genuine interest in the social and architectural history of the area. His vision was a vibrant neighborhood with economic activities, where residents could find work. He did not focus on individual buildings, but on the development of the entire area.
Jacob Gelt Dekker about the Otrobamba project; "Yes, it is really nice to tackle such an area. You create employment, but that is not the only thing. You rebuild houses, but you also rebuild people. You give them self-esteem. In the beginning everyone said: "I can't". But energise and inspire those people and eventually they say; "Yes, I can". Earlier they always heard: this area is a mess and you are dropouts and criminals. They started to think: we are ex-slaves and we are like rubbish. Nonsense of course and luckely eventually they learned: anyone can do anything. No one should be afraid of losing their position. Not the local people, not the politicians and not the investors. The tenth commandment states that you must not covet what is your neighbor's. By creating a market, we have elevated desire to the source of our society. You have to free yourself from desire, then you stay much closer to the core of yourself and/of your company, in fact to your own creation. Ingvar Kamprad of IKEA is a good example; "Yes. you have to learn to detach from life". Strength comes from taking responsibility. Thanks Bon Bini Curaçao, Sylvia Founder Love for Latin America 12/7/2021 yes! last august (still during covid-19) i traveled to latin america. back to costa rica and i loved it!Read NowThe impact of Covid-19 was (maybe still is. . . ) huge. First I thought this will last a few months and now we are in this situation already for almost 2 years. . . For me personally the worst thing was not being able anymore to travel. So how relieved I was last August when I could travel again. I choose Costa Rica and it was a great choice. Enjoying nature and finally again meeting up with my friends 😊 For me it's no news that travel is good for the physical wellbeing, but a significant amount of scientific research suggests that exploring a new place can do wonders for your mental and emotional health as well. My non-travel Covid-19 period made me so aware of this. . . Here are five evidence-backed ways traveling makes your mind happy and healthy:
Now that you’ve finished reading about all the wonderful things travel does to your brain, you can imagine how happy I was that I could travel again! I started my trip in San Jose (Hotel Presidente), after that we flew to the Caribbean coast Tortuguero (Tortuga Lodge). From there with the rental car to Monteverde (Senda hotel) and after that stop we continued to Rio Perdido. Loved that place! Just a short trip to the Gulf of Papagayo where we enjoyed the great service (!) of The Mangroove hotel. Relaxed and ready for new adventures we drove to Nosara. There we were reunited with our friends and we spend a great time with them. We loved the beaches, nice restaurants and we did great horseriding. Check my Costa Rica stories on Instagram to get to know more about this fantastic trip. Covid-19 or not, go and travel, good for your mental health and good for the local economy (so many people depend on tourism!). Covid-19 doesn't stop at a country border, it's all about personal behaviour. Thanks Costa Rica, Pura Vida! Sylvia Founder Love for Latin America The Corona virus, Covid-19, recognized as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. On March 6, 2020 I flew from Uruguay back to the Netherlands. Of course I had already received messages from my family and friends about Covid-19 (Corona) but I had no idea what the impact was. In Uruguay at that time this was still not something what kept them busy. There the first case reported was on March 13. In retrospect, I was, just in time, back in the Netherlands, because on that moment everything related to the virus accelerated. I remember on the moment of arriving in The Netherlands everything felt very different from before... People were tense, there was a lot of uncertainty, in Italy it was chaos, all felt whacky. Fortunately, our government took full responsibility and full control for this severe disruption. This is what you wish for in a crisis like this. Without a leader, and of course you can discuss about the methods and details, there are only losers. Now hopefully we can limit the damage. Our Prime Minister's first speech on Monday, March 16, was impressive, worrying, but at the same time solid and trusty. The Netherlands went into an intelligent lock-down. It took some time to get used to the new, and actually very strange, situation. Never we had been in a situation like this, it was actually quite scary. People started to hoard. Especially toilet paper, pasta, rice and canned vegetables were sold out quickly. Now that’s back in the supermarket more than sufficient. We have to keep a distance of 1.5 meters, very strange and we already have so little "space" around us in our small country. People walk around each other with a big arc. Plastic tape everywhere on the floor and pamphlets with instructions, just to make sure we keep the correct distance. A lot of shops are closed and at other shops only a limited number of people are allowed into the store, which creates ‘1.5 meters rows’ at the entrance. We are requested to stay at home as much as possible, so people work from home. About that in the past we were very cautious, but now it seems we never worked so productive. An additional advantage, we have less traffic. Now petrol costs only € 1.56 per liter. Children are no longer allowed to go to school and/or childcare. Students in secondary education and at universities receive digital lessons. Exams are canceled. Graduation is now without the usual formal rituals and without a good celebration. The national football league is canceled, we can’t go to the gym and many other sports are on hold. Attending cafés, restaurants, theater, cinema and festival is no longer allowed either. No wedding-, communion- or other parties. We can’t visit our loved ones in care homes. Even saying goodbye to our loved ones who passed away is now predominantly digital. We are expected to keep our distance from one another. We all do it, however unreal. The people in healthcare are struggling. RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) and OMT (Outbreak Management Team) staff members work overtime. Through media we are daily updated by RIVM of the new Covid-19 infections and deaths. There is a shortage of mouth masks, protective clothing and gloves for the people in the hospital. There is even a shortage of respiratory equipment for the seriously ill. Previously rejected equipment is revived. Breweries (InBev, Bavaria, Heineken) and other companies adjust their manufacturing process to produce disinfectants, face masks and more. The national Intensive Care Board regulates admissions to the ICU, which is a difficult job because it seems there will be a shortage of IC beds. Some patients are transferred to Germany. Former care workers are asked to assist and the turn-out is huge. All over the country we’re, literally, clapping for people in the health care. A great respect goes to them. Our government is doing everything it can to keep the economy afloat. Major support measures are introduced for companies and self-employed persons. Nevertheless, some individual cases are already sad and poignant. Fortunately there are also beautiful new initiatives, such as a takeaway menu at the (Michelin-star) restaurant around the corner. Our restaurant is now at home. Facetime is a rediscovered communication method. The Friday afternoon drink with a group of friends or colleagues is now digital. Also many children are very happy with the digital lessons and do not want to go to school physically anymore. Lots of presents and cards are sent to others to encourage each other. Logistic services are doing great business. The elderly do miss their loved ones visiting them, but now they are surprised by grandchildren who do their TikTok dances in front of the window. We are regularly inform by our government through a press conference and chapeau for the accuracy and honesty with which they do this. Since yesterday we know that some restrictions are less restricted*. The numbers of new Covid-19 infections and deaths and admissions on the ICU are turning the better way. They give us some hope. The hope that the strict lockdown will soon be the past, although the 1.5 meter distance community continues. What have we learned from this huge disruption till now? We have learned that much can be done different or even the opposite way. We have learned that we were acting in patterns and now we are forced to think again. Infectious disease pandemics like this can either be once in a lifetime or, perhaps, occur every few years—they’re unpredictable— and it is important to realise that. A new decade has started... Stay safe and take care of each other, Sylvia Founder Love for Latin America * https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/news/2020/05/06/avoid-busy-places-and-stay-1.5-metres-away-from-others Last month I visited Uruguay and again I can't deny my enthusiasm for this destination. What a beautiful and versatile country ♡ Laid-back Uruguay is one of the continent's most inviting secrets... Every time when I share my travel stories about Uruguay, I am amazed by the answers and questions in return. There are many prejudices about the country and opinions which are derived from the whole continent. Time to take a good look at the facts. The country that is about four times the size of the Netherlands has less than four million inhabitants. There is a lot of water and therefore also a lot of agriculture, livestock and viticulture. The infrastructure is good, roads well maintained and there are no traffic jams. It is a progressive, prosperous and safe country compared to other Latin American countries. For example, if you're Uruguayan, it's legal to buy, sell and grow marijuana. Uruguay feels very familiar (European), but nevertheless has many nice surprises. As a foreign guest when you pay with a credit card the VAT will be immediately deducted. This quickly saves 22% on every transaction. The population usually speaks Spanish, but young people certainly also have a good command of the English language. The (land) climate is pleasant, not too hot, but just pleasantly warm. Also nice; few mosquitoes and not too many creeping pests. Uruguay is a fantastic vacation destination, because of the variety in the landscape, the beautiful beaches, the spectaculair sunsets, the lovely authentic Maté culture and especially the great plains and tranquility.
Fortunately, Uruguay is getting more and more interest of tourists and also from Europeans who want to invest in real estate and/or another meaningful investment. I think the Uruguayan people deserve this. Also this inspection trip to Uruguay met all expectations. Special thanks to: Narbona Wine Lodge, Sofitel Montevideo, Posada Balcon del Abra and the beautiful Bahia Vik. Uruguay, hasta pronto! Sylvia Founder Love for Latin America We provide business development, representation and sales support for Latin American luxury experiential travel companies. You want more European travelers to your destination? Soon I'm traveling to Uruguay and we can schedule a meeting.
Let's talk and see what we can achieve together, Sylvia Nederhoff Founder Love for Latin America 10/1/2019 Emerging economies are becoming increasingly desirable as destinations as they show greater competitiveness in travel and tourism.Read NowIn 2018, according to the World Tourism Organization, the number of international tourist arrivals worldwide reached 1.4 billion, two years before it was predicted to do so. That year also marked the seventh year in a row where the growth in tourism exports (+4%) exceeded the growth in merchandise exports (+3%). Given this rapid pace of growth, the prediction that international arrivals will reach 1.8 billion by 2030 may be conservative.
This presents enormous potential for the sector and economies globally as travel is further democratized. Emerging economies are contributing larger proportions of travellers to this global trend and are becoming increasingly desirable as destinations as they show greater competitiveness in travel and tourism. In short, Latin America has a great potential. Travel business is booming. . . . Source: World Economic Forum | The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2019 Travel and Tourism at a Tipping Point. 🌎 Click on the photo to read the complete report From 28 to 30 November 2018, the biennial Global Forum on Tourism Statistics – a joint initiative of Eurostat and the OECD – took place for the first time in Latin America. The 15th Global Forum was hosted by Peru, and this was a good occasion to take a closer look at tourism relations between Europe and this part of the world. EU residents made 6.7 million trips to Central and South America, of which nearly 300 thousand to Peru. Although EU residents travel largely to European destinations (94% of all tourist trips), they also made more than 50 million trips to destinations outside of Europe in 2017. The preferred continent was America (19.4 million trips), closely followed by Asia (17 million trips). In 2017, EU residents made 6.7 million trips to LAtin America - on average more than 18,000 trips per day. The most popular destinations were Mexico (17% of all trips to Latin America), Cuba (14%), the Dominican Republic (13%) and Brazil (12%). These 6.7 million trips accounted for nearly 111 million nights and € 13.7 billion spent (including international trips). Nearly three of the four EU residents who visited Latin America came from Germany (29%), the United Kingdom (20%), France (12%) or Spain (12%). Focused on the Global Forum host country Peru, EU residents made 294 thousand tourist trips to Peru in 2017, corresponding to 5.3 million nights (or an average duration of 18 nights per trip) and spent 773 million euros on these to travel. Source: European Commission
|