MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Regional News.

Headlines:
Punta Arenas Hostels and B&B association.
“Free circulation” in border passes, not yet.

Punta Arenas Hostels and B&B association

With growing tourism prospects in the region, owners of Hostels and Bed & Breakfast Homes in Punta Arenas decided the creation of an association to ensure minimum standards and to protect the trade from a proliferation of "clandestine" competitors that ignore minimum quality and safety regulations.

"We believe that a basic rate of 5,000 pesos per night (approx. 8 US dollars) plus minimum quality service standards are needed to preserve this legal trade", said Mr. Arturo Ocampo Buljan, president of the recently created association.

"The hostel and bed & breakfast business is less formal and certainly more personal than hotels; tourists live in a more family environment and the relation between landlords and clients is more direct; they come to us for suggestions and families usually end up as good friends", explained Mr. Ocampo Buljan, who owns a hostel as well as his mother and sister.

"We cater a special bracket of visitors and local authorities should make sure that this legal business is not spoiled by swindlers and people interested in "quick bucks" or ripping off tourists", stressed Mr. Ocampo Buljan.

The Punta Arenas Hostels and Bed & Breakfast Homes Association is drafting a code of self rules and regulations that will be presented to the local Council which hopefully will be approved.

"We actually complement the hotel trade and it's in the industry's interest that we prosper and that our businesses offer an excellent image of Punta Arenas".

"Free circulation" in border passes, not yet

Crossing the Argentine-Chilean border in Patagonia this coming season will not necessarily be as fluid as anticipated (promised?) by the recent meeting in Punta Arenas of the Borders Committee that had as special guests' presidents Ricardo Lagos and Néstor Kirchner.

According to Punta Arenas press, the "free circulation" of people and vehicles in the border passes still is in need of a common web system that will enable Argentine and Chilean border personnel to register all ingoing and outgoing visitors with the simple presentation of an I.D.

Punta Arenas Chilean Police International Department Inspector Galo Muñoz explained that "business as usual" means all Chilean residents must show on the Chilean side of the border a valid ID or passport. Argentines have more options: ID, Voting ID, passport or Conscription Document. Further more on both sides, travellers must fill a form that has to be returned on leaving either country.

Parents travelling with minors must have the Marriage Certificate of Birth certificate of the child. When travelling alone minors must show a consented permit from both parents.

Regarding vehicles Customs demands plates plus valid property and circulation papers. However both sides are working in a system to validate equivalent documents. Chilean and Argentine Customs officials are present in five passes, Monte Aymond, San Sebastian, Dorotea, Casas Viejas y Don Guillermo.

As to farm produce Regional Director of the Chilean Agriculture and Livestock Sanitary Service Carlos Rowlands told Punta Arenas press that once the "integrated border passes" are activated, people leaving Chile will be checked in Argentina and those incoming by Chilean officials. But until the system is implemented checking will continue on both sides of the border, when coming and leaving.

"In the future we might have random checking but compulsory for those who we consider hazardous or a risk", added Mr. Rowlands.