Uruguay Launches $2.5 Million Fund to Boost International
Uruguay's Ministry of Tourism and Aeropuertos Uruguay have created a joint annual fund of up to $2.5 million to co-finance airlines that increase foreign
Uruguay has established a new co-financing scheme to stimulate international air connectivity. The Ministry of Tourism and Aeropuertos Uruguay will provide up to USD 2.5 million annually to airlines that bring more foreign visitors to the country.
The program financially rewards operators for each additional visitor transported, using the same six-month period from the previous year as a baseline. To qualify, airlines must submit a sworn statement with details on routes and passenger countries of origin to the authorities.
Incentive Structure and Requirements
The scheme includes specific incentives for establishing connections that were not operated regularly in the preceding 12 months. Any new route must have a published schedule and operate for at least six consecutive months per year. The airport concessionaire will match the state's contribution dollar-for-dollar to each benefiting airline.
Pablo Menoni, the Minister of Tourism, stated the fund's purpose. "We are convinced that this mechanism will improve air connectivity and generate a concrete incentive for airlines to increase the sale of tickets to foreigners destined for Uruguay," he said. Both parties will exchange statistical data to verify the traffic increase. The measure is initially valid for one year, with the possibility of an automatic extension for up to four years.
A Shared Effort for Tourism Growth
Minister Menoni emphasized the collaborative nature of the initiative during an event in Montevideo. "We do not want an incentive that works independently of the results, but a tool that accompanies and rewards the effective growth in the number of tourists arriving in the country," he detailed. Diego Arrosa, CEO of Aeropuertos Uruguay, called the joint fund's creation a milestone, citing its innovative character and the work with the state to promote tourism.
Current Connectivity Context
The launch comes as Carrasco Airport's air connectivity has been growing, reaching a record 2,144,071 passengers in 2025. However, in a parallel development, the unprecedented routes that Paranair inaugurated last year to Rivera and Salto have been suspended due to the company's operational problems.
Arrosa said the fund represents a further step in strengthening air connectivity and consolidating the National System of International Airports through infrastructure investment and modernization.
