Technology hurdles and beer in Argentina

Protectionism.

I could end this story there. Anytime anyone comes to Argentina, they come with electronics in tow, hopefully undetected by customs. I happened to be traveling with beer making equipment and English language translation books. A friend- in a burst of mashup strategy- is both adding beer and English classes to his hotel. While the US craft beer market may have reached maturity, it is in the early stages here. I had no problem getting my handles, taps, and screws from JFK to Buenos Aires since I prepped TSA before I put my bag through. However on my domestic connection here, I could not carry them on board and had to scramble to box and check them. Victoria at the ticket counter saved the day.

There is no way I could have shipped the goods. They would have been confiscated. Lawyers, connections, time, and money may help others get some stuff through. But for the most part, one would be forced to see what they can buy here to make beer. Nothing. You have to have the equipment made. My crass capitalistic mind has trouble with the fact that one has to start at such a disadvantage in getting things going. That could change. Remember the new president?

Ok so with beer, you have to make your own tools. Crazy. With electronics, the price point is often too high, say 2-3 times as American prices. Taxes (a whole host of them) are mostly to blame. Needless to say the black market is thriving while honest brokers are closing their stores. The demand for electronics and good beer is there in this highly educated country. Imagine what could happen if they could actually get stuff (anything!) and at world market prices.

BizEnglish
Peter Nyheim, Ph.D.

Welcome to the blog on tourism technology by a tourism techie. I will be traveling and describing both the big and small uses of technology in the industry that I come across, and other related topics. My hope is that the different examples and stories might enable you to look at the technology you are using or encountering from a different angle.

Big buildings and small paintings

Last year, I had some business in Ecuador. Specifically, my travels brought me to Quito and Cuenca. Remember, Ecuador has many ecosystems. I was in the mountainous regions. Like many major Latin American cities, Quito missed much of the previous “wired” versions of technology, and moved right to mobile, resulting in less clutter to block those great views.

Quito was big-tech in the form of new construction outside the old city. Upon arrival, I walked through the new airport and wondered when the United States would start taking its infrastructure and tourism technology more seriously. While I still encountered old legacy systems for air travel (as we still have in the USA by the way) it was refreshing to see an up to date airport. This arrival point and new road to town were designed with tourism in mind. So far so good, as far as marketing Quito was concerned.

Cuenca, the cultural capital of the country, also had its own infrastructure happenings, in the form of a controversial tram going right through the old part of city. While the government went big and long on building technology, the younger social media consumers were using technology in a different way; they were sharing photos of traditional media art created by their friend's hands. No photoshop here. They started with brushes and pencils. Original paintings and graffiti art were widespread in both the on and offline realms.

Big Government projects and hand-made shared content would be my elevator speech for these fantastic regions. More to come...

BizEnglish
Peter Nyheim, Ph.D.