- Investments in the Region

 

South America has developed into one of the regions showing the most remarkable vertical growth in investments, which cover nearly all production sectors such as industry, agriculture, tourism and services in general.

The rate between labor costs and training in South America, the amount of its energy sources and productive lands, the importance of its water fields, the wide difference between property prices here and those in the first world, and most of all, an increasing financial and governmental stability, yet accompanied by a significant mobility of business and financial undertakings, are pointing to this continent as one of the most appropriate regions for an extensive – intensive exploitation of its advantages and, moreover, investment with a maximum rate of profitability.

 

The real estate sector benefits from one of the highest rates of profitability, due mainly to the low cost of land in proportion to its potentialities for exploitation. It shows a substantially high and progressive rate of growth together with a remarkable stability of values, which results either in very low risk or risk zero.

Investments in South America and particularly in Uruguay are in great demand, mainly from Europe, as it shows from the climbing figures in the last years in our country. The interest of foreign companies in doing business in this region is promoting a dynamic capital commercialization which leads to rapid recovery and effective conversion of investment.

 

 

- ¿Why invest in Uruguay?

 

Uruguay is the geographical center of a 215 million inhabitants market. It shows the highest per-capita income in the continent and a DGP of 600 thousand million dollars approximately.

 

A vast physical network allowing a variety of means of communication together with competitive financial services and an appropriate infrastructure for enterprises work, make it easy to keep contact with the main axis of MERCOSUR business activity and expand from there to other countries or regions in the world.  The long-lasting political and economic stability and the friendly cosmopolitan nature of people in Uruguay provide an ideal platform for this kind of expansion.

 

A significant number of tourists (mainly from Argentina and Brazil) visit Uruguay every year, which makes tourism one of the three pillars of this country’s economy.

 

We have a large tradition of free, compulsory and secular education organized into three levels: primary, secondary and higher or University studies. This system has extended its coverage during the last years by lowering the school-starting age to 4 years old. So a 95% of Uruguayan children attend school and go through kindergarten for at least one year.

 

At Secondary level, Uruguay has reached the highest schooling rate in Latin America -85%-, exceeding the average rate by 50%.

 

As for Higher education in Uruguay, our University graduates (professionals, technicians, scientists or teachers) are internationally recognized for their professional competence. People are the principal asset Uruguay can rely on.

 

 

- TOURISM - ORIENTED PROPERTY INVESTMENT

 

Uruguay ranks among the most attractive regions for tourism in South America, with a steadily increasing rate of profitability. Moreover, the government has engaged in supporting this sector and shows a sustained interest in it.

 

In the principal resorts, hotels are frequently filled to capacity during the holiday season, and all available houses are rented. Shops, entertainment centres, and other undertakings aimed to meet tourists demands usually make maximum profits.

 

More than 30% of total Uruguayan exports come from tourism. The tourism balance superavit amounts to U$S 350.000.000 and keeps growing. 

 

The number of visitors at the beginning of the season has risen by 15,05% between December 20th and January 2nd. as compared to the same period of last year. 185.389 more travellers have entered the country this year, according to the National Directorate of Migrations.

 

95.669 (51,6%) of these visitors are from Argentina, which represents an increase of 15,7% compared to the period 2006-2007, when 80.618 Argentines went through migration controls.

During the same period, there was also a rise in the number of Brazilian visitors: 29,291 tourists compared to 21.939 last year.

 

Punta del Este - 350.000 Outbound Tourists

2007: 650.000 Tourists came to Uruguay, from which:   412.000 Argentines y 112.000 Brazilians

4.800 tourists came from the U.S.A, Canada, Australia and Germany.

During December and January, 153 million dollars, approx., were collected through Tourism. A 90% of it corresponds to   Punta del Este, Rocha, Canelones and Montevideo.

 Other preferred destinies are Colonia del Sacramento and the Termal Stations of Guaviyú, Dayman, Arapey and Almirón.

 

Cruisers:  More than 130.000 passengers are arriving in Uruguay as a stay destiny, transported by luxury cruisers, which aim mainly at Punta del Este and Montevideo.

 

- Why invest in land in Uruguay?

Security: Uruguay is the most secure country in South America, with no incidence of the main problems affecting other countries, such as terrorism, vandalism, and political or social instability. 

 

Nature: It has been kind indeed with Uruguay, as we have no catastrophes, no earthquakes or hurricanes; not even snow.

 

Wealth: Uruguay is in possession of substancial natural resources, due mainly to its location on the Guaraní aquiferous layer, one of the main fresh water reserves in the world, a source of life for future generations.

 

Environment: This is one of the less polluted countries in the world, ubicado dentro de los países con menor polución a nivel mundial, within the range of advantages described in the Kioto Protocol.

 

Culture and Communications: Uruguay enjoys the highest rate of literacy, culture and communications in South America.

 

Location: Strategically situated between two large countries such as Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay contributes together with Paraguay to compose the MERCOSUR. The Río de la Plata (River Plate) provides a way out for products from this commercial block.