MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Magallanes after NZ tourism know-how.

Nine tourism businessmen from Magallanes Region will be travelling to New Zealand for a two weeks market research and learning experience this week.

New Zealand was chosen because of its proximity with Chile and because it's one of the three "emerging" markets for international tourism together with Canada and Australia.

"We're after that technological edge that will enable our businessmen to best understand how the business is changing, new products and how New Zealand has managed to steadily keep attracting tourists", said Francisco Sotomayor, regional director of the Chilean Promotion Corporation, Corfo.

The Magallanes delegation will be in New Zealand from September 1 to 15 and their agenda includes visiting tourist landmarks, conferences, meetings with national and regional tourism officials and the private sector. The estimated cost of the tour is 72,000 US dollars and half the bill will be paid by the Chilean Promotion Corporation.

"We going to learn and find out what can be applied to Chile; NZ has taken advantage of ethnic tourism, adventure, ecotourism and rural tourism", said Paola Milosevic head of the Chilean Territorial Integration Program.

Mr. Sotomayor emphasized that his agency's (Corfo) support is intended to help correct mistakes, "bring new technologies, new ideas for each of Chile's regions but not only the traditional tourism which is relatively well consolidated in the country".

According to Chilean sources in 1998, agriculture represented 7% of NZ's GDP, industry 25,3% and services 67,8%. In 2002 more than two million tourists visited NZ leaving 1,45 billion US dollars.

In related news, and sponsored by Corfo last week Magallanes Region participated in a business event in Santiago for the promotion of tourism investment both in Magallanes region and Chilean Antarctica.

Magallanes mayor Jaime Jelincic and Francisco Sotomayor were among the participants who lectured on the different tourism opportunities which Magallanes region offers and Ernesto Gonzalez from the Chilean National Assets Office talked about the different options for making use of government property.

A bulletin with regional tourism statistics, opportunities, global indicators and legislation with fiscal benefits for investments in the area was distributed during the two days conference.