Tourism accounted for nearly half of Uruguay’s GDP growth in 2025, generating $2.04 billion in exports
Uruguay received 3,604,488 visitors during 2025, a figure that exceeds the country’s total population, estimated at around 3.4 million
Tourism accounted for nearly half of Uruguay’s gross domestic product growth in 2025 and represented 6.2% of the country’s economic activity, according to the first monitor produced by the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism together with the Center for the Study of Economic and Social Reality (Ceres), presented on Thursday in Punta del Este.
The report shows the sector generated 122,000 jobs and involved more than 25,000 businesses. Tourism exports totaled $2.04 billion, placing the sector fourth in export rankings, behind beef, global services and cellulose.
Uruguay received 3,604,488 visitors during 2025, a figure that exceeds the country’s total population, estimated at around 3.4 million. The department of Maldonado was the most visited destination, led by Punta del Este: 877,179 tourists arrived at the resort, narrowly surpassing Montevideo, which recorded 876,317 visitors. Further behind were the department of Colonia with 469,297 visitors and the thermal coast region with 453,936.
Tourist spending showed marked differences by destination. Visitors to Punta del Este spent a total of $919 million, averaging $1,227 per person. In Montevideo, aggregate spending reached $498 million, with a per capita average of $569. Total tourist expenditure across the country during 2025 was $2.04 billion.
The monitor also examined the opportunities that the European Union-Mercosur agreement could open for the sector. According to the report, the treaty’s implementation could lead to increased flight frequencies between the two blocs, as well as reduced costs and delays in importing supplies linked to tourism.
The data consolidate tourism as one of the pillars of the Uruguayan economy, with a growing role in job creation and foreign exchange earnings. The monitor’s release marks the first time the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism has published a comprehensive report with economic indicators for the sector, produced in partnership with an independent research center.
