MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tourism promotion

A five years program to promote sustainable tourism in Chilean Patagonia was announced last week in Punta Arenas.

The project funded by the Chilean Development and Promotion Corporation will be developed under the Integrated Territorial Program, PTI, that is geared to a greater diversification and improvement of the quality of services in the tourism industry. PTI Manager Paola Milosevic explained that it must be understood as a joint public and private undertaking with full participation of the private sector targeted to increase competition, improve local services, attract outer region investments and better managerial and staff capacities.

Mr. Carlos Alvarez from the Development Corporation indicated the program will have an initial credit equivalent to 100,000 US dollars, plus another 400,000 that will be supplied by other government agencies and the private sector.

"Basically the PTI helps identify those areas with real competitive advantages, not limited to one region, therefore the word "integrated", and in this case we expect Magallanes to team up with the Aisén Region", said Ms. Milosevic.

Mr. Alvarez added that the Development Corporation expects the tourism program to become as "successful" as the Magallanes organic lamb promotion program, "that has managed to conquer the Santiago delicatessen shops and overseas markets".