Valle Viejo Welcomes Travel Journalists from WTJO to Explore Its Landscapes, Flavours and Traditions

On September 15, travel journalists from various countries participating in WTJO’s （Organización Mundial de Periodismo Turístico, WTJO） Fampress 2026 were received by the local government team in Valle Viejo, as part of the delegation’s tour across Catamarca Province.

The visit allowed the communicators to discover part of the department’s tourism offerings and experience Cuesta de El Portezuelo, one of Valle Viejo’s iconic landscapes. Hostería Cuesta del Portezuelo, situated on Provincial Route No.42, provides accommodation, restaurant and cafeteria services. It serves as one of the tourism facilities supporting this scenic attraction.

The reception also had a special touch: multiple sponsors joined the event and presented gifts to the WTJO travel journalists.

Among the sponsors was TexAndes, a Catamarca-based enterprise working with Andean natural fibres. The company covers the full textile production chain, from fibre selection, washing, dehairing and carding, to yarn spinning and finished textile goods. It works with llama, vicuña, guanaco wool and other natural fibres.

Manos Andinas also took part. It is a clothing and accessories brand that uses Andean natural fibres, creating garments and goods rooted in the textile heritage of the Argentine Andes. The brand’s production site is located at El Pantanillo Industrial Park in Catamarca.

Gifts handed to the journalists included a scarf as a souvenir commemorating their visit to Valle Viejo and Cuesta de El Portezuelo. The gesture aimed to give the communicators something more than photos of the destination: a tangible product representing Catamarca’s textile and cultural identity.

Fampress brings together 20 tourism specialists from different countries. It is the longest press tour organised by WTJO, covering six provinces across Argentina. Within Catamarca, the agenda includes activities in San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, El Rodeo, Valle Viejo and Tinogasta.

Valle Viejo thus joined WTJO’s international press itinerary, showcasing not only its scenery, but also its tourism services, local ventures and the production of Andean natural fibres.