VALLETTA, Malta — The City of Buenos Aires is strengthening its international positioning and seeking new investment opportunities as it sets an ambitious target of reaching 5 million international tourists annually within the next five years. The goal was outlined by Valentín Díaz Gilligan, President of the Buenos Aires City Tourism Board, in an interview with ABC MUNDIAL during the WTTC Global Summit in Malta.

Díaz Gilligan estimated that Buenos Aires will welcome 2.8 million international tourists in 2026 and said the city has the tourism offering needed to support substantial growth in the coming years.

“I believe the city needs to reach five million in the next five years, so the target is ambitious. I believe we have the product to achieve that,” he said.

Buenos Aires has a prominent presence at the international gathering, where government representatives meet with leading executives from the global travel and tourism industry. The city’s participation aims to showcase investment opportunities, strengthen business relationships and present its tourism development vision to decision-makers from across the world.

The delegation also includes Karina Perticone, Executive Director of Visit Buenos Aires, and Fernando Amer, Director of Tourism Promotion at Visit Buenos Aires. Together, they are advancing the city’s international promotion and engagement with global tourism companies and organisations.

Attracting hotel investment to support growth

Díaz Gilligan identified investment in accommodation as one of the key challenges to achieving the visitor target, particularly in the upscale and four- and five-star hotel segments.

“We need more investment in high-end hotels, and we need more investment in four- and five-star properties,” he said.

Expanding hotel capacity will be essential to accommodate more international travellers, attract different market segments and support the city’s ambition to grow its tourism economy. Díaz Gilligan emphasised that Buenos Aires must continue improving the conditions for investment, particularly as it competes with destinations around the world.

The WTTC Global Summit provides a strategic platform for that effort, bringing together senior representatives from hotel groups, airlines, tour operators and other international companies, alongside government officials.

“We have come to explain where the City of Buenos Aires stands, the investment opportunities available and the business opportunities in Argentina,” Díaz Gilligan said. He added that the city had received a positive response from major international operators.

Meetings with Hilton, Minor Hotels, TAP and MSC

During the summit, the Buenos Aires delegation held meetings with international companies across several segments of the travel industry. Díaz Gilligan mentioned discussions with representatives of Hilton and Minor Hotels, the group associated with the NH brand, as well as airline TAP Air Portugal, luxury travel network Virtuoso and cruise company MSC.

He highlighted the value of meeting senior executives who have the authority to make investment decisions and potentially expand services to the Argentine capital.

Regarding MSC, Díaz Gilligan said there was a strong willingness to increase the company’s cruise offering to Buenos Aires in the coming years. This prospect is significant for a city seeking to strengthen its role as a gateway to Argentina and consolidate its position on international cruise itineraries.

“One of the reasons it is important to be here is that there are very few places where you can bring together so many important investors from around the world,” he said.

The city’s presence in Malta is intended to keep Buenos Aires on the radar of major tourism companies, showcase opportunities for future development and exchange views with executives assessing new projects in international markets.

Culture, gastronomy, events and connectivity

Díaz Gilligan stressed that Buenos Aires has a diverse tourism offering, including cultural attractions, music and sporting events, theatres and gastronomy. This range of experiences, he said, gives the city a competitive advantage in attracting travellers with different interests and supporting tourism throughout the year.

He also highlighted the city’s relative safety compared with other destinations and improvements in connectivity, which he attributed to joint work with Argentina’s national government.

Air connectivity will be particularly important if Buenos Aires is to reach its five-million-visitor target. More connections can help open new source markets, make travel easier and increase the likelihood that international visitors will include the city in their itineraries.

Alongside these efforts, the city runs promotional activities throughout the year, including familiarisation trips for journalists and travel professionals, known as fam press and fam trips, as well as influencer initiatives designed to showcase Buenos Aires to international audiences.

“Argentina is an incredible country, with absolutely everything people need to have a good time, enjoy themselves and feel comfortable,” Díaz Gilligan said, explaining the importance of bringing the destination closer to people who have not yet experienced it firsthand.

Positioning Buenos Aires in the global tourism industry

For Díaz Gilligan, participation in the WTTC summit also reinforces the importance of recognising tourism as a strategic industry for the global economy. The gathering provides an opportunity to build relationships, present business opportunities and promote the conditions needed for the sector to grow.

The target of increasing international tourism from an estimated 2.8 million visitors in 2026 to five million annually within the next five years represents a significant challenge for Buenos Aires. Achieving it will require sustained international promotion, stronger connectivity and new investments to expand the city’s capacity to welcome visitors.

In Malta, Buenos Aires is presenting its vision directly to some of the most influential players in global travel and tourism. The next challenge will be to turn that interest into concrete projects and develop a tourism offering capable of supporting the city’s ambitions.