Argentina is an emerging economic powerhouse, and its currency has soared to nearly 50 times the euro’s value.
Its leaders are ambitious and ambitious is the slogan that is emerging from Buenos Aires as the country grapples with the worst economic crisis since the end of World War II.
It is also one of the world’s most expensive destinations, with a city-state tax of more than $200 a day and a cost of living that is more than three times higher than the United States.
But the government has made little headway in convincing Argentinans that they should use its public transport system, which is woefully understaffed and poorly designed, according to a survey by a travel agency and a Buenos Aires newspaper.
It has been criticized by the business community, and Argentinian unions say it is unfair to the government to force businesses to relocate abroad to avoid paying taxes.
The problem of overcrowded public transport in Buenos Aires is not unique to the city-states.
A survey last year by the Argentine tourism federation, which represents tourism companies, found that almost 70% of Argentine tourists said they had lost time using public transport to get to their destinations, compared with just 12% who said the same of tourists from other countries.
The federation said the country needs more than 2.5 million additional staff to ensure that public transport services are up to par.
The government is looking to address overcrowding, but it is facing stiff opposition from unions.
The National Commission for Tourism said the government should prioritize the expansion of public transport and improve the infrastructure to handle the growing numbers of tourists and tourists-only travel.
The union that represents bus drivers said the increase in ridership has hurt the competitiveness of the country’s public transport network, which the union said is not equipped to handle demand from international visitors.
In a recent statement, the union also criticized the government’s decision to spend $10 billion in new debt, in part to finance a new subway system, an idea it said would not solve the problem of the city’s traffic jams.
A senior government official, who asked not to be identified, said the plan was not designed to solve the traffic problems.
“We are trying to create a better public transportation system, not just to solve traffic congestion, but to build a sustainable economy,” the official said.