MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Patagonia Tourism workshop in Punta Arenas.

Over 340 Chilean tourist and travel agencies, mainly from Santiago, converged this week on Punta Arenas for a Patagonia promotion workshop.

The event sponsored by Chile's Tourism Office, Tourism Development Corporation and the regional Chamber of Tourism lasted two days and was considered far "more successful" than the two previous workshops.

"This is evidence that (Chilean) Patagonia has become one of Chile's main tourism destinations internationally and for the domestic market", emphasized Miguel Angel Muñoz Magallanes Tourism Representative.

"When you have a workshop on an only destination, such is the case you hardly ever manage to attract so many operators and agencies. This usually happens when you're addressing five, ten different promotions, but that is Patagonia?., and we are not only talking of Torres del Paine park" added Mr. Muñoz.

The regional Tourism representative revealed that next July/August there will be an official launching of the coming high season in Chilean Patagonia which will include the region of Magallanes and also Aisén immediately to the north.

"That will be an international event since we expect many overseas operators to come to Santiago for the launching", highlighted Mr. Muñoz.

In related news the annual assembly of Chile's Tourism Promotion Corporation, CPT, named its new board which included Tania Pivcevic Cortese, DAP airlines Commercial Manager. DAP is Magallanes regional airline operating from Punta Arenas.

Other members of CPT are, Pier Paolo Zacarelli (Hotel del Mar); James Ackerson (Valle Nevado); Jorge Pinochet (Lan Tours); Colin Turner (Hotel Radisson); Arturo Perez (OTSI); Felipe Brahm (Transbank); Flavio Vega (Tourist Office Viña del Mar); James Hughes (Ritz Carlton Hotel); Felipe Cruz (Explora); Jorge Guazzini (Cocha Tourism); Alejandro Segura (Turismo Turavión); Tomas Sanchez (Turiscom); Francois Carrere (CTS) and Hugo Lavados (ProCHile). CPT CEO is Helen Kouyoumdjian.