Skip to content
About 15,000 new residents have settled in and around Punta del Este since the pandemic. 

About 15,000 new residents have settled in and around Punta del Este since the pandemic. 

Photographer: Ana Ferreira/Bloomberg
CityLab
Economy

South America’s Resort for the Rich Seeks Year-Round Vibe

Uruguay’s Punta del Este has long been a tourist magnet. Now investors and policymakers are eyeing a post-pandemic transformation.

By

Uruguay’s Punta del Este, sometimes called the Monaco of South America, became a pandemic refuge for thousands of wealthy summer-home owners. Now investors are pouring millions into offices and education services in a bet that immigration will accelerate the popular beach town’s shift to year-round city.

Punta del Este and the neighboring provincial capital Maldonado together are home to about 170,000 people, with approximately 15,000 new residents settling in the area since the pandemic, provincial governor Enrique Antia said in an interview.

Share