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Tourism in Argentina is favored by its ample and varied natural assets (made possible by its geographical extension), by its cultural offer, and (since the devaluation of the Argentine peso after the 2001 crash) by its high exchange rate to foreign currencies.

In 2005, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census, tourism from abroad grew 12% with respect to 2004 and became the third largest source of income for the country, producing 3,254.5 million USD (8.1% of the goods and service exports). There were about 3.7 million visitors, and for the first time more foreigners visited Argentina than Argentinians travelled abroad.

For the first quarter of 2006, INDEC recorded 560,265 foreign tourists (22% more than in the same period of 2005). Of these, 31% came from Europe, 19.2% from the United States and Canada, 14.2% from Brazil, 9.1% from Chile, 3.2% from other neighbouring countries, and 14.1% from the rest of the Americas; the rest of the world accounted for 9.2%.

Contents 1 Touristic sites 1.1 Buenos Aires 1.2 North 1.3 South 1.4 Other 1.5 See also 1.6 World Heritage Sites 1.7 National Parks 2 External links 3 References

Buenos Aires, once considered by travellers, the "Paris of the Southern Hemisphere", offers a broad cultural activity. Visitors usually choose a night visit to a tango place and to visit an estancia in the province of Buenos Aires, to enjoy the traditional asado. Lately new touristic circuits have surfaced, many of them devoted to famous Argentinians as Carlos Gardel, Eva Perón or Jorge Luis Borges. Due to the favourable exchange rate, its shopping centers, as Alto Palermo, Paseo Alcorta, Patio Bullrich, Abasto de Buenos Aires y Galerías Pacífico, are frequently visited by tourist

San Telmo is a well known Buenos Aires area. This is a traditional place in the South of Buenos Aires. It has an antique image, houses since colonial epoque and cobblestones streets. One can see big churches, museums, antique stores and "Antique Fairs" ('Feria de Antiguedades') in Dorrego Square. Dorrego Square ('Plaza Dorrego') is a historic place in San Telmo. Around it, one can see actors on the streets, tango dancers and many tourists. The Penitentiary Museum ('Museo Penitenciario') is a Jesuit building that was a prison for more than 150 years. The Church of San Pedro Telmo is a temple with 300 years that represent the Maritims Holy conserving antique images on the windows and walls. Defense Passage was an older residence that now is a marketplace with coffees and antiques stores. People that like tango may enjoy a visit to 'El Viejo Almacen'. It was built by the famous tango singer Edmundo Rivero.

Recoleta and Puerto Madero are one of the most tourist visited neighbourhoods because of their class and offerings.

• Iguazu Falls, located on the northeast of Argentina, are the best known falls in the area and have a good infrastructure for the traveller and plenty of activities to be done in the area. The falls and the area surrounding are part of the Iguazú National Park that preserves the local subtropical rainforest ecosystem. The most impressive of the falls is known as the Devil's Throat, shared with Brazil.
• The Train to the Clouds, offers a view to the stark contrasts of the province of Salta. It begins in the city of Salta city ascends to San Antonio de los Cobres, reaching an altitude over 4,000 meters.

• Quebrada de Humahuaca
• Valles Calchaquíes
• Esteros del Iberá
• Puna de Atacama
• Península Valdés
• Sierras de Córdoba
• Mar Chiquita, Córdoba Argentina
• Traslasierra
• San Ignacio Miní

• Los Glaciares National Park, where glaciers that drain the Southern Patagonian Ice Field end in the Lago Argentino, blocking one of its bays until the pressure of the water blows the ice dam.

• Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, located in Tierra del Fuego, is a typical destination in southern Patagonia.

• Bariloche - San Carlos de Bariloche is a city in the Río Negro Province, situated on the foothills of the Andes, surrounded by lakes (Nahuel Huapi, Gutiérrez Lake, Moreno and Mascardi) and mountains (Tronador, Cerro Catedral, Cerro López). It is famous for skiing but also great for sight-seeing, water sports, trekking and climbing. Cerro Catedral is one of the most important ski centers in South America.

• Other destinations: Mar del Plata, the main sea resort of Argentina; other maritime resorts as Cariló, Villa Gesell, Monte Hermoso, Pehuencó, Las Grutas (in Río Negro), Rada Tilly in Chubut; The Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the western hemisphere, Las Leñas; Talampaya and Valle de la Luna, with strange geological structures; Bariloche, Villa La Angostura, San Martín de los Andes, Junín de los Andes, El Bolsón, Esquel, Trevelin, Los Antiguos, Copahue, Caviahue, near snow capped mountains with temperate rainforests and glaciar lakes; San Rafael and Mendoza, where the best wines of Argentina are made. Fauna, especially whales in Puerto Madryn. Other main mountain resorts are: Carlos Paz, Cosquín, La Falda, Capilla del Monte, Villa de Merlo, Tinogasta, Villa Cura Brochero, Mina Clavero, Villa Nougués, Villa General Belgrano, Tilcara, Cafayate, Iruya, Villa La Angostura, Tafí del Valle.
  

• List of national parks of Argentina
• Culture of Argentina
• Cuisine of Argentina

These are the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in Argentina[1].

• Cave of the Hands (Cueva de las Manos), Río Pinturas. Has prehistoric cave paintings (WHS since 1999).
• Iguazú National Park, home of Iguazu Falls (1984).
• Ischigualasto / Talampaya National Parks and its paleontologic formations (2000).
• Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba in Córdoba Province (Cultural Heritage) (2000).
• Jesuit missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (1984).
• Los Glaciares National Park and the Perito Moreno Glacier (1981).
• Península Valdés, a marine wildlife preserve (1999).
• Quebrada de Humahuaca, World Cultural Landscape for its scenic natural beauty and historical sights (2003).

Main article: List of national parks of Argentina

Argentina has an extensive National Park system, preserving sights of natural beauty, which includes the following:

• El Palmar National Park
• Iguazú National Park
• Lanín National Park
• Los Alerces National Park
• Los Arrayanes National Park
• Nahuel Huapi National Park
• Talampaya National Park
• Tierra del Fuego National Park

• (Spanish)(English) Secretariat of Tourism
• (English) Argentina travel guide from Wikitravel
• (Spanish)(English) Argentina Travel Net
• (Spanish) Ruta 0
• (Spanish)(English) Welcome Argentina

• (Spanish) Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INDEC), Encuesta de Turismo Internacional (ETI).