MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

First time Chilean pavilion at the Miami Sea Trade Cruise convention

Chile participated this year in the last edition of the annual Miami Sea Trade Cruise Shipping convention for the first time with a full stand shared by government, municipal and private interests.

“The cruise industry moves millions of dollars. Chile is an emerging market and as a destination is particularly attractive because of its diverse wildlife and very kind and warm people”, said Teodoro Wigodski, president of the Southern Cone Ports Corporation during the opening of the Sea Trade Cruise Shipping event.

The Chilean pavilion at the show covered 110 square metres with desks from the cities of Arica, Puerto Varas, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas; the Tourism office from Coquimbo; seven travel and tourism agencies; an air charter company (Aerovías DAP) and the Southern Cone ports Corporation which includes, Puerto Montt, Magallanes, Arica, Talcahuano, Valparaiso, Chacabuco and Iquique.

The umbrella organization of the pavilion was ProChile, the semi-public institution to promote Chilean products and services overseas.

Actually the Austral Ports Authority (Punta Arenas) has been present at the international Miami event for over a decade, particularly since the cruise companies during the mid nineties begun including Chile in its global schedules. This however was the first time that Chile was present as a country with all the different options available for the cruise industry.

According to ProChile between 1995 and 2000 the number of cruise passengers visiting Chile expanded at an annual rate of 30 to 40%. Since then the rate has fallen to 12%.

Chile estimates that direct revenue from the cruise industry is in the range of 18 million US dollars per season (2006/07 data), which compared to the overall tourism industry of the country is “not significant”, however geographically it does have an impact.

According to Chile’s Tourism Office the average age of cruise visitors is 65, and they come mainly from North America, Europe and Brazil, with a daily expenditure in the range of 40 to 100 US dollars.

However Chile is one of the few countries in the world which has more than eight alternative ports for cruises: Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Talcahuano, Puerto Montt, Chacabuco and Punta Arenas.