End of the Dollar Clamp - Tourist Experience discussion
 

Restrictions on the US$ clamp are to be announced today 16 December 2015.

http://buenosairesherald.com/article...nnounced-today

It remains unclear how gradual this will be. (It no longer remains unclear. Expect a substantial change at once. The multi-tiered exchange system will cease to exist immediately.)

It might be helpful to have "real time" experiences on the tourist experience, i.e., rates received from ATMs (if used), establishments still offering favo(u)rable exchange rates v. the official rate, and so on.

There's a special place in OMNI to discuss the politics of it all, should you feel the need.

It'll also be valuable to see what the maximum limit per ATM transaction will be.

May take a while for any real life responses. I read it's going to happen but not for a couple of months at least. Suppose we'll find out later.

Rate received from credit card usage (in Pesos) in Argentina will also be very interesting to know.

I believe that at market open tomorrow (Thursday) there will be only one exchange rate. Probably ~ARS15/USD.

It does look like that will be the case. There will likely remain a "blue" because of all the currency that would be "troublesome for those who hold it" to transact in the banking system, but the spread will probably be not worthwhile for touristic purposes. Still, I would expect to continue cash discounts, "credit cards temporarily suspended" and a slight USD favorable rate at small merchants.

Tomorrow and the following days will tell.

I haven't been to an Argentine ATM for so long, I hope I remember how to use it!

Yes it would seem dollars will be available to all from tomorrow. ^

I doubt very much that this change is made with the tourists in mind.

How about the "real time" experience of the Argentines, and Argentina's economy? Short and long term?

This is the travel, non-political part of Flyertalk. There is a place for politics, and this isn't it. That is the OMNI/PR board. Since currency exchange availability and rates have been part of the travel experience for several years, and the dynamic is about to go through a drastic change, I started this post.

How did the BA stock market react? Immediate surge by 25%?

As expected around 13.96 to the dollar at the mo.

Can't see it changing much. I believe steps are in place to prevent it from going out of control.

How will this affect the domestic prices, such as the cost of a steak in a restaurant?

Need to wait a few weeks for it all to settle down before knowing the answer to that.

I wouldn't worry.

Currently the VISA database is still showing yesterday's rate for credit card transactions conducted today. So not a good idea yet to be using foreign credit/debit cards.

Terrible for tourists?
 

So with no premium for exchanging cash USD/EUR etc, hotels have instantly become much more expensive? If the restaurants raise their prices (following the domestic increases in the prices of beef and other commodities), then eating out for tourists will be hit with a double whammy - one on account of the higher prices per se and the other due to the worse exchange rate.

Do I see that right?