President Javier Milei’s administration has moved to hand over the state‑run Chapadmalal beachfront hotel complex to private operators. Built in the late 1940s under Juan and Eva Perón, the nine‑hotel site offered subsidised stays as low as $3‑$4 a night, a hallmark of Peronist ‘social tourism’. The government closed the resort after the 2024 season and issued a tender for a 30‑year concession.

The Peronist model funded the program with roughly $7 million annually, a line item Milei eliminated last year when he scrapped the legal obligation for state‑provided vacations. Critics argue the move strips a symbolic right to leisure for low‑income workers, while deregulation minister Federico Sturzenegger claims private management will boost tourism revenue and efficiency, and expects foreign investors to compete for the lease.

Union leaders and former staff have staged protests and filed legal challenges, fearing price hikes that could price out ordinary Argentines. With the tender still pending and no clear plan for pricing tiers, the Chapadmalal fate hinges on whether a private operator will preserve affordable access or convert the site into a resort. The outcome will test Milei’s broader agenda of shrinking the public sector.