Enjoying a slow cafe moment at Cafe Biela (Photo: Beatrice Murch)
Take a nice, slow sip of the coffee you ordered forty minutes ago. You don’t have anywhere to go. And even if you did, you’d be late. You might consider asking for the bill – but don’t even think about the buses. Instead, sink deeper into your chair, safe in the knowledge that from today, Argentina is going to have a whole lot more leisure time. Just in case you felt rushed.
There was a time when national holidays commemorated special events. On 9th July, for example, Argentines celebrate their independence from Spain with extravagant parades and colourful fireworks. But why put a limit on fun? With the introduction of the Holiday Act, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has increased the number of feriados, or bank holidays in Argentina to at least one per month. This means businesses will be closed (with the exception of Alto Palermo who hope to celebrate the capitalist spirit in the name of a national holiday) and banks won’t be operating regular hours – not exactly groundbreaking news. Even so, the cities will be shut down more than usual while students and those working will have the day off. Certainly a welcome reprieve for a nation that officially receives less just ten days of holiday time per year.
Though the bill was not passed in Congress, it is being administered as a presidential decree. President Fernández has renamed Columbus Day, the ‘Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity’ while also adding in new causes for celebration. 20th November has been ordained, ‘The Day of National Sovereignty,’ and though it falls on a Saturday this year, Argentines are to enjoy this Monday off work. Naturally, the holiday celebrates the defeat of the British and French fleets in 1845. And in case you weren’t having enough fun during Carnaval, the Monday and Tuesday of the nation wide fiesta are now also feriados. The ‘bridge clause’ of the law holds that workdays falling between a midweek holiday and a weekend are to be days off: Your usual three day weekend is about to become a full-fledged mini-break. Romantic or otherwise.
Traditional Gaucho races can be enjoyed on a long weekend out in the country or at Mataderos if you want to stay close to the city. (Photo: Kate Stanworth)
Tourism in Argentina has exploded in the past decade: According to the Ministry of Tourism, the industry currently makes up 7.7% of the nations GDP, and since 2003 tourist-related profit has more than doubled. The tourism industry currently employs approximately 1.5 million people, and last January’s holiday season saw the biggest number of Argentines in ten years visiting vacation destinations. The Holiday Law seeks to promote tourism throughout the nation, propping up local businesses and bringing in valuable revenue.
As Enrique Meyer, Minister of Tourism, announced: “With the adoption of the new system of holidays, announced by President Cristina Fernández, all areas involved with tourism can now enjoy greater predictability in their businesses and we can ensure a steady stream of visitors to tourist destinations throughout the year, thus reducing the harmful effects of low seasonality.” He further added that, “tourism is a strategic industry for national development.”
Argentina is especially good at leisure time. Take a day at the parks of Palermo. Add in neon pink candy-floss, deck chairs, beach balls and an army of spandex-clad roller-bladers; you might be forgiven for thinking that everyday is a day off. But with the newly instated 15 feriados per year, some organized into the long weekends, the scope for travel further afield is greatly improved. From the steamy beaches of Mar del Plata, to the piercing icicles of Patagonia, the nation certainly isn’t lacking in natural beauty. The growing number of hotels and tourist agencies throughout the country are the perfect tools for more adventurous exploration.
The Holiday Law may or may not be an adjustment in a nation where urgency is not always a priority. But state sanctioned leisure time can never be a bad thing. So take advantage of the command. Everyone knows you can never have too much free time. Even if it does mean waiting out a bank holiday to get your coffee. It was probably going to take that long anyway.
