There is good news for Argentines traveling to Uruguay for the New Year’s Eve Parties and the upcoming summer vacations.
While virtual wallets are making strong progress to pay in Brazil without having to use cards or exchange dollars, users of Payment Market of They can pay on Uruguayan beaches with the same app and in the same way they use in Argentina.
Days ago, the company announced that Argentines will be able to use their Mercado Pago digital account to make payments in Uruguayan shops by scanning QR codes.
It is about the first experience offered by Mercado Pago to pay abroad directly from your cell phone, “in a simple and secure way.”
How Mercado Pago works in Uruguay
As explained by the fintech company, “the functionality is now available to all users of the application, who will be able to make their purchases in more than 50 thousand Uruguayan businesses digitally, without the need to look for ATMs or exchange currencies”.
During this first stage, after scanning the QR code, Argentines will be able to pay with the cards they have loaded in their digital account. It is important to know that it is not useful for those who only have money in their account.
“Due to the proximity between both countries, many Argentines who usually travel for tourism or business to Uruguay were interested in having a solution that simplifies their payments, with the same ease with which they make their purchases in our country,” commented Agustín Onagoity. , VP & Country Manager of Mercado Pago Argentina.
And he added: “Today we are taking an important step in the development of cross-border payments by offering an agile and secure experience directly from the digital account they choose daily.”
What benefits does Uruguay offer to Argentine travelers?
Since November 15 and until April 30Uruguay decided eliminate VAT collection in certain services for foreign tourists.
- Accommodation (applicable all year round)
Panoramic view of Punta del Este, Uruguay. Photo Shutterstock- Car rental without driver
- Vacation rentals (applies to the real estate commission)
On the other hand, we must remember that those who travel by car, for the moment, have the 40% discount on gasoline at stations near the border with Argentinawithin a radius of 20 km from the following towns: Fray Bentos – Puerto Unzué; Paysandú – Colón; Jump – Concordia.
In turn, Uruguay maintains a system called Tax Free (tax free) that grants refunds of up to 14.4% to encourage foreigners to buy products in participating stores in that country to take them in their suitcase at the end of their stay.
Street of Sighs, Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Photo ShutterstockThe program can be used to purchase items such as clothing, leather garments, fabrics, food, drinks and crafts, but only in stores that are members of the regime and for at least 600 Uruguayan pesos.
How is the refund activated? Refund is made via debit or credit card within 10 days. And to do this, you must go to the Tax Free booth that is at each exit point from Uruguay (port, airport or border crossing) before returning to Argentina with the purchase documentation.
It is expected that in 2025, Argentine tourism in Uruguay will exceed the historical average.
According to the Tourist Activity Monitor prepared by the Uruguayan Chamber of Tourism together with the Center for Studies of Social and Economic Reality of Uruguay, Argentine reservations for January 2025 are 19% higher than the average of the last 10 years.