MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile targets three million tourists by 2010

Chile expects to receive three million foreign tourist by 2010 revealed the country's head of Tourism Promotion currently in London for the International Tourist Fair.

Pablo Moll said that the number of foreign tourists visiting Chile in the first half of 2006 increased 16.5% and will represent 3 to 4% of the country's GDP plus having generated 1.5 billion US dollars in 2005.

"Tourism is by far the fastest growing sector of the Chilean economy. In 2005 the number of foreign tourists reached 2.1 million and we're growing at a rate which ensures three million tourists by 2010", emphasized Mr. Moll.

Anyhow he pointed out that Chile will never become a country of big volumes of visitors.

"We're not going to have 50/52 million tourists as happens with Spain. That's not going to happen and we don't want it to happen. We believe that five to six million foreign tourists in the cap for Chile", underlined Moll.

Addressing an English audience Moll said that the destinations which most interest foreign tourists are Easter Island, Patagonia and lately the wineries' tours.

As to the immediate challenges for the Tourism Promotion Corporation he leads, Mr. Molls pointed to the fact that "over 300 weekly flights arrive in Chile from United States, but only an average 70 from Europe".

"United States tourists have become the main source of clients for Chile representing 20% of the overall volume".

But, said Mr. Moll "we need European airlines and charters to increase the number of flights to Chile, "Europeans are increasingly attracted by Patagonia and pristine wildlife".