El Calafate Tourism Statistics: Official Data 2007–2025 (Complete Series)
Source: Secretary of Tourism of the Municipality of El Calafate · APN · ANAC
Executive Summary
| Indicator | 2024 Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| El Calafate airport passengers | 451.289 | Annual historical record |
| Los Glaciares National Park entries | ~646.867 est. | 2023 was a record: 781.823 |
| Average annual hotel occupancy | 63,08% | Stable 2022-2024 |
| Available hotel beds (peak) | 10.921 (Feb 2025) | Highest historical record |
| Month with highest influx to the NP | January: 123.212 visits | Absolute monthly record |
| Average tourist stay | 2,91 days (2023) | Up from 2.21 in 2011 |
Airport Passengers
Source: London Supply / ANAC. Boarded passengers (departures). Includes domestic and international flights.
In 2024, Comandante Armando Tola International Airport (FTE) registered 451,289 boarded passengers, the highest annual value in its history. The projection for 2025 exceeds 545,000, driven by growth in November and December.
Annual Passenger Series (2007–2025)
| Year | Boarded | Annual Variation |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 224.662 | — |
| 2008 | 233.413 | +3,9% |
| 2009 | 215.012 | -7,9% |
| 2010 | 226.094 | +5,2% |
| 2011 | 193.290 | -14,5% |
| 2020 | ~118.054 est. | -78% (COVID-19) |
| 2021 | ~195.446 est. | partial recovery |
| 2022 | 371.744 | +90,2% |
| 2023 | 447.335 | +20,3% |
| 2024 | 451.289 | +0,9% |
| 2025 | ~545.430 est. | +20,9% est. |
Between 2007 and 2024, El Calafate's air traffic grew +100.9%. In April 2020, only 89 boarded passengers were registered — an absolute historical minimum due to COVID-19.
Monthly Passenger Distribution (2022–2025)
| Month | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38.183 | 50.665 | 59.859 | 60.114 |
| February | 39.318 | 45.289 | 52.687 | 45.904 |
| March | 45.344 | 47.890 | 55.200 | 54.839 |
| April | 30.620 | 39.244 | 37.686 | 34.791 |
| May | 21.977 | 22.424 | 19.634 | 18.893 |
| June | 15.512 | 20.205 | 16.346 | 13.415 |
| July | 18.324 | 21.118 | 20.887 | 16.015 |
| August | 18.092 | 19.355 | 19.753 | 16.409 |
| September | 21.910 | 25.007 | 23.190 | 25.858 |
| October | 37.240 | 46.590 | 40.950 | 41.952 |
| November | 42.221 | 53.034 | 50.930 | 55.844 |
| December | 43.003 | 56.514 | 54.167 | 61.396 |
| Total | 371.744 | 447.335 | 451.289 | ~545.430 |
National Park Entries
Source: Intendencia del Parque Nacional Los Glaciares (APN). Tickets sold, including national and international tourists and both sectors (Lago Argentino and El Chaltén).
Annual PN Entry Series (2007–2025)
| Year | PN Entries | Annual Variation |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 346.837 | — |
| 2008 | 366.709 | +5,7% |
| 2009 | 351.003 | -4,3% |
| 2010 | 408.974 | +16,5% |
| 2011 | ~381.338 est. | -6,8% |
| 2021 | ~287.585 est. | partial recovery |
| 2022 | 663.676 | +130,8% |
| 2023 | 781.823 | +17,8% — historical record |
| 2024 | ~646.867 est. | -17,3% |
| 2025 | ~622.548 est. | -3,8% est. |
2023 is the historical record for entries to Los Glaciares National Park: 781,823 visits. January 2024 is the absolute monthly record: 123,212 visits in a single month.
Monthly Distribution (2022–2025)
| Month | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 87.312 | 118.180 | 123.212 | 97.469 |
| February | 84.032 | 98.148 | 105.714 | 79.727 |
| March | 75.394 | 81.932 | 90.200 | 75.180 |
| April | 50.337 | 61.327 | 51.532 | 46.133 |
| May | 29.496 | 31.954 | 25.083 | 20.374 |
| June | 18.543 | 25.978 | 15.182 | 14.059 |
| July | 21.520 | 26.401 | 21.187 | 19.262 |
| August | 31.951 | 26.600 | 21.375 | 21.213 |
| September | 40.543 | 45.345 | 31.959 | 37.314 |
| October | 69.874 | 80.695 | 57.313 | 56.335 |
| November | 82.292 | 92.287 | 55.358 | 75.538 |
| December | 72.382 | 92.976 | 47.752 | 79.944 |
| Total | 663.676 | 781.823 | ~646.867 | ~622.548 |
National Park Seasonality — Average Monthly Index (2022–2025)
| Month | Index vs January (base 100) | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| January | 100 | Absolute Peak |
| February | 84 | High Season |
| March | 73 | Late High Season |
| April | 50 | Mid Season |
| May | 27 | Low Season |
| June | 17 | Winter Minimum |
| July | 21 | Low with School Holiday Rebound |
| August | 24 | Low Season |
| September | 37 | Start of Recovery |
| October | 60 | Mid-High Season |
| November | 80 | Pre-Peak |
| December | 73 | High Season |
Hotel Occupancy
Source: Secretary of Tourism of the Municipality of El Calafate. Daily phone survey of all hotel establishments in the municipality (hotels, hostels, apart-hotels, cabins, shelters).
Average Annual Occupancy
| Year | Average Occupancy |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 45,79% |
| 2022 | 63,32% |
| 2023 | 63,09% |
| 2024 | 63,08% |
Monthly Occupancy — Historical Series 2008–2025
| Month | 2008-09 | 2011 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | 76,99% | 90,18% | 81,25% | 84,79% | 73,67% |
| February | — | 71,19% | 91,50% | 77,55% | 80,47% | 66,15% |
| March | — | 53,06% | 78,57% | 68,58% | 68,22% | 63,83% |
| April | — | 44,53% | 61,76% | 60,01% | 50,70% | 44,79% |
| May | — | 32,06% | 52,84% | 43,33% | 33,97% | 31,30% |
| June | — | 21,58% | 48,95% | 52,69% | 34,75% | 27,03% |
| July | — | 23,15% | 45,23% | 72,50% | 38,07% | 30,10% |
| August | — | 29,67% | 47,78% | 39,19% | 35,37% | 30,45% |
| September | 42,56% | 40,80% | 50,69% | 50,13% | 40,97% | 36,28% |
| October | 45,96% | 49,48% | 62,65% | 66,62% | 53,01% | 43,69% |
| November | 56,54% | 62,23% | 66,73% | 74,47% | 64,10% | 68,05% |
| December | 50,38% | 56,57% | 62,90% | 70,75% | 61,64% | 60,75% |
February 2022 recorded the highest hotel occupancy in the series: 91.50%. July 2023 was an anomalous figure: 72.50% in the middle of low season.
Occupancy by Category — January 2024 vs 2025
| Categoría | January 2024 | January 2025 | Variación |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5 star Hotel | 93.28% | 84.18% | -9.10 pp |
| 3 star Hotel | 84.15% | 81.81% | -2.34 pp |
| 2 and 1 star Hotel | 90.43% | 67.14% | -23.29 pp |
| 3 star Hostería | 87.57% | 81.88% | -5.69 pp |
| 2 and 1 star Hostería | 72.55% | 69.80% | -2.75 pp |
| Cabins | 83.04% | 70.44% | -12.60 pp |
| Apart Hotel | 90.92% | 68.17% | -22.75 pp |
| Shelter / Hostel | 81.96% | 74.57% | -7.39 pp |
| General Average | 84.79% | 73.67% | -11.12 pp |
Occupancy by Category — November 2023, 2024 and 2025
| Category | Nov 2023 | Nov 2024 | Nov 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 and 5 star Hotel | 91,51% | 85,47% | 85,83% |
| 3 star Hotel | 85,14% | 80,88% | 76,35% |
| Apart Hotel | 79,63% | 54,96% | 51,83% |
| Shelter / Hostel | 71,30% | 75,46% | 51,90% |
| General Average | 74,47% | 64,10% | 68,05% |
Hotel Supply: Available Beds
Source: Secretary of Tourism of the Municipality of El Calafate.
El Calafate's hotel capacity grew +39.4% between 2011 and 2025, from 7,833 to 10,921 beds.
Historical Evolution of Beds (Seasonal Peaks)
| Period | Available Beds | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 (annual average) | 7.833 | Tourism Secretariat Data |
| 2019 (seasonal peak) | 8.475 | February 2020 |
| 2022 (December peak) | 9.027 | |
| 2023 (December peak) | 9.924 | +10% vs 2022 |
| 2024 (December peak) | 10.515 | +5.9% vs 2023 |
| 2025 (February peak) | 10.921 | Highest historical record |
Available Beds by Month — 2024 vs 2025
| Month | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| January | 10.187 | 10.701 |
| February | 10.318 | 10.921 |
| March | 10.251 | 10.622 |
| April | 9.080 | 9.472 |
| May | 7.026 | 7.416 |
| June | 5.599 | 6.375 |
| July | 6.349 | 6.866 |
| August | 6.450 | 7.330 |
| September | 8.239 | 8.384 |
| October | 9.750 | 10.218 |
| November | 10.275 | 10.710 |
| December | 10.515 | 10.664 |
Tourist Profile
Source: Secretary of Tourism of the Municipality of El Calafate.
Evolution of Average Stay
| Period | Average Stay (days) |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2,21 |
| 2015-16 Season | 2,70 |
| 2019-20 Season | 2,70 |
| 2020-21 Season | 4,0 (COVID) |
| 2022-23 Season | 2,58 |
| 2023-24 Season | 2,91 |
The average tourist stay in El Calafate grew +31.7% between 2011 and 2023, from 2.21 to 2.91 days.
Origin of National Tourists (2023)
| Province / Region | Estimated Share |
|---|---|
| Buenos Aires + CABA | ~56-61% |
| Santa Cruz | ~12-19% |
| Córdoba | ~6-8% |
| Santa Fe | ~5-6% |
| Tierra del Fuego | ~2-3% |
| Chubut | ~2-3% |
Percentage of Foreign Tourists
| Season | % International Tourists |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 56,32% |
| 2015-16 Season | 50,59% |
| 2018-19 Season | 66,36% (maximum) |
| 2022-23 Season | 46,35% |
| 2023-24 Season | ~50% est. |
Main international markets: Brazil, United States, Spain, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.
Impact of COVID-19
The year 2020 represents the largest recorded drop in El Calafate's tourism history:
| Indicator | Normal Value (2019) | COVID Minimum (Apr 2020) | Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boarded passengers (month) | ~39.000 | 89 | -99,8% |
| Hotel occupancy (peak month) | 75,22% (Feb) | — | — |
| Operational beds | 8.475 | reduced | — |
| PN entries (month) | ~60.000 | ~0 | -100% |
Post-Pandemic Recovery
- 2021: partial recovery (~54% of 2019 level in boarded passengers)
- 2022: return to pre-pandemic levels (+90.2% vs 2021 in boarded passengers); February occupancy reached 91.50%, a new historical record
- 2023: surpassing all previous records — 447,335 passengers and 781,823 National Park entries
- 2024: consolidation at historical highs for passengers; PN registers moderate decline
In June 2021 (with restrictions still in place), the National Park received only 2,086 visits. In June 2022, without restrictions, there were 18,543. The 8.8x difference illustrates the accumulated pent-up demand.
Sources and Methodology
| Source | Institution | Data Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Tourism Reports | Secretary of Tourism, Municipality of El Calafate | Hotel occupancy, beds, estimated stay, visitors |
| National Parks Statistics | National Parks Administration (APN) | Los Glaciares National Park entries by month and year |
| Airport Traffic | London Supply / ANAC | Boarded passengers at FTE airport by month and year |
The monthly reports from the Secretary of Tourism of El Calafate are published on elcalafate.tur.ar with a lag of approximately 30-45 days. The hotel occupancy survey is conducted daily by telephone to all registered establishments in the municipality.
On Methodology: Hotel occupancy data is obtained through a daily telephone survey of all hotel establishments in the municipality. Passenger data comes from London Supply (the airport's operating company) and is validated by ANAC. National Park entries are exact counts of tickets sold, available from the PNLG Superintendency. The three collection systems are independent, which allows for cross-referencing information to detect inconsistencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about Tourism Statistics in El Calafate
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