US$ 500 million in regional tourism and economic impact is projected across Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru as Pope Leo XIV embarks on an apostolic journey, marking a foreign trip following a recent lung cancer surgery.
The Argentine Confederation of the Medium Enterprise (CAME) calculates a potential economic impact of US$ 270 million in Argentina alone, driven by an estimated three million domestic and international visitors. In the capital, the Buenos Aires Tourism Board projects an impact exceeding US$ 88 million with 1.2 million visitors, including 240,000 staying overnight. This represents a historic event for Buenos Aires, which is preparing to welcome those who arrive to share in this highly significant moment
, stated Valentín Díaz Gilligan, president of the City Tourism Board.
Pope Leo XIV Visits Argentina and Uruguay
The papal itinerary begins with stops in Uruguay and Argentina before concluding in Peru. In Argentina, the tour features visits to a disability center in Claypole, a federal penitentiary, and mass gatherings in Luján.
Booking data shows hotel bookings have surged year-over-year. The nation has declared public holidays to accommodate the events: a nationwide holiday on Monday, followed by holidays in Buenos Aires and Córdoba on Tuesday, and in Buenos Aires Province on Wednesday.
Tour operators report high interest in religious heritage packages. We notice interest from both Argentines and foreigners in getting closer to this heritage and discovering the main settings of the country’s religious and cultural history
, noted Nicolás Posse, country manager for Civitatis. Commercial establishments in neighborhoods like Recoleta and Palermo are organizing service hours to handle the influx of travelers.
Peru Deploys Aircraft and Papamobiles
The Peruvian Air Force has mobilized a fleet of nearly ten aircraft, anchored by a Beechcraft King Air 360C MEDEVAC ambulance and MI-17 helicopters, to manage transport and medical evacuation across Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco, Pucallpa, and Santa Cruz de Succhabamba in Cajamarca, according to Pucará Defensa.
General Motors has delivered two custom papamobiles built in Brazil. Cardinal Pedro Barreto blessed them at the Apostolic Nunciatura in Lima alongside Nuncio Paolo Rocco Gualtieri and GM general manager Diego Novoa, as reported by Religión Digital.
Veteran Vatican journalist Valentina Alazraki noted that the pontiff spent over two decades in Peru. He served as a missionary in Chulucanas starting in 1985 and later became bishop of Chiclayo in 2015 before relocating to Rome in 2023 at the request of Pope Francis.
Pope Leo XIV Begins 12-Day Trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru • Starts three-nation tour of Latin America with first stop in Uruguay • Undertakes journey weeks after lung cancer surgery with part of lung removed • Marks first major trip since operation and longest of his… pic.twitter.com/DXJx45CkQa
Over four decades ago, in February 1985, Pope John Paul II visited Ayacucho during a turbulent period in the nation’s history, bringing a direct call for peace amid widespread violence.
The air force assigned a Russian-manufactured MI-17 helicopter belonging to the 6th Air Group stationed in Chiclayo to execute the flight to Santa Cruz de Subchabamba in the Cajamarca region.
The military aircraft features a standard operational capacity for twenty-four passengers. Meteorological and geographical constraints at the destination limit the maximum number of occupants on board to seventeen people.
During the large-scale outdoor mass in the northern coastal area, the military helicopter will remain on standby in the Pampas de Pimentel to serve as an immediate medical evacuation asset.
Local preparations in Lambayeque include the setup of twenty additional hectares designated solely for parking vehicles in anticipation of massive crowds traveling to the open-air Eucharistic celebration.
Official welcomes in the capital will involve a formal meeting at the Government Palace with President Keiko Fujimori. This will be followed by a series of addresses directed at diplomatic representatives and civil society figures at the National Grand Theater of Lima.