MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cruise vessels calling in Chile up 20%

The number of luxury line cruise ships calling at Chilean ports grew to a record breaking 120 in 2005, up by 20% over the previous season. Industry leaders say that even more cruise ships are on the horizon.

Passengers who visit Chile aboard the cruisers spend on average 100 US dollars in each port, and the packaged tourism deals sold to the passengers have increased by 30% the past several years.

Chile's most popular cruise ship destinations include Cape Horn, the southern fjords and glaciers, Torres del Paine and Antarctica.

The ports most frequented include Arica, Iquique, Coquimbo, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas. Despite Valparaíso's high disembarkation costs, it continues to be a favourite with the tourists.

The Chilean Association of Tourism Companies (Achet) will be working on installing better disembarking facilities in Valparaíso before 2008.

By Leah Serinsky The Santiago Times - News about Chile