MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine tourists returning to Chile

Strong recovery with positive prospects is how the Chilean Tourism Council (dependent from the National Chamber of Commerce) describes the performance of the Chilean tourism industry in 2003/04.

Ivonne Lahaye president of the Tourism Council said that in 2003 the number of foreign tourists in Chile reached 1.584.221 people, a 14,6% increase over the previous year. However the significant data is that the influx was particularly strong in the second half of 2003, 21,9% compared to the first six months with a modest 7,6% increase.

As to the number of Chileans that left the country for tourism overseas in 2003 the total number was 2.053.447, a 7,8% increase.

But the discrimination by quarters indicates a strong first Q with a 34,5% jump, followed by two negative quarters and in the fourth there was a slight positive recovery equivalent to 1,3%.

According to the Chilean Tourism Board this can be explained by the Argentine economy recovery. As the economy began moving so did prices and it was less attractive for Chileans. Simultaneously there was an aggressive campaign promoting domestic tourism in several of the country's regions plus the fact that the highway and roads system in Chile is in excellent conditions.

June 2003 marked a turning point for winter tourism with a 20% increase in the number of foreign tourists, mainly from Brazil which were attracted following a half a million US dollars campaign in Sao Paulo.

November 2003 also was a peak (34,1%) compared to a year before and this was mainly because Chile was chosen as seat of the Gynaecology and Obstetrics World Council which attracted 8,000 delegates.

Regarding 2004 a similar situation is expected with the coming summit of the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum which will be gathering over 7,000 delegates from the region's 21 economies who are scheduled to visit some of the main sites of the country such as Pucon, Viña del Mar, La Serena, Puerto Varas, Punta Arenas and Santiago.

Overall neighbouring countries (Argentina, Bolivia and Peru) represent 50,8% of foreign tourists in 2003, a decline from the 63,6% of 1999. This is explained by the significant drop of Argentine tourists, 48,3% to 32,2% between 1999 and 2003.

But with better prospects Argentines are expected to begin returning as happened this last 2004 summer. As to Peru the increase has been modest attributable to tourism and Peruvians coming to work to Chile.

The rest of America represented 25,9% of total tourists coming to the country.

Confirming the better tourism prospects during March international air arrivals to Chile reached 308.042 people, 10% over the same month a year ago and a new record for March.

Domestic passenger air traffic totalled 246.421 in March, 7% jump over March 2003.

Regarding domestic air freight March 2004 was 10% above March 2003 with Santiago leading with 2,296 tons followed by Iquique 599 and Punta Arenas 519 tons.