Uruguay could host World Congress of Religious Tourism in May

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Every year a World Congress of Religious Tourism is held, and in 2021 the city chosen to host religious tourists was Pamplona in Spain.

Although Uruguay established an institutional separation between Church and State with the enactment of the 1918 Constitution, it has important festivals and monuments dedicated to different types of religious beliefs, attracting both local and foreign visitors.

SALTO WITH GREAT POTENTIAL

Uruguay has a very significant number of centers and monuments of interest for this type of tourism. It also has a high chance of being the next venue, since the event has never been held in the country and the organization is looking for this feature.

In addition, the Ministry of Tourism seems to be starting to promote the event as one of the members of the organization visited Salto, said its Mayor Andrés Lima at the launching of the Destino Termas in Terminal Tres Cruces.

During her stay, the organization member was guided and accompanied in the process by cultural anthropologist Patricia Martínez, who explained the details of the visits in the department and highlighted its relevance in the matter.

CANDIDACY

Salto will jointly present its candidacy with Paysandú. At first the cities were planning to do it separately, but then they realized that it is not convenient for them to compete. “Salto and Paysandú would host the congress, as the distance between the cities is very short. Besides, Paysandú does not have Salto’s hotel capacity.”

Last weekend Rosario Bianco, cultural manager, researcher and expert in heritage and religious tourism, visited Salto. She is the creator of “La Noche de los Templos” (The Night of the Temples) in Montevideo, held in the month of November, inviting the public to get to know the different rites and cults.

SEVERAL ATTRACTIONS

Bianco “was happy with what I showed her, we toured the Central Cemetery twice, one in the format of the “Sensitive Path” and another tour that I created called “Together to Eternity – Immigrants and Death.” Then we visited the Cathedral, where there are works of great value, by José Luis Zorrilla de San Martín, sculptures by Edmundo Pratti. We also visited the San Roque parish church located in the Hippodrome area on Trillo Avenue of great artistic and cultural value. She was fascinated, and assured that Salto is incredible and if we join with Paysandú there is a 99% probability that the congress of religious tourism to be held in May will take place in Uruguay. She is going to vote and her vote will be specifically for Salto,” said Martinez.

During her visit Bianco was welcomed by the Bishop of Salto Monsignor Arturo Fajardo who offered the Cathedral’s facilities and the Bishopric of Salto, where the crypt with the remains of the city’s bishops will be opened to the public.