Since the mid-1990s,tourism in Chile has become one of the main sources of income for the country, especially in its most extreme areas. In 2005, this sector grew by 13.6%, generating more than US$500 million, equivalent to 1.33% of the nationalGDP.
According to theWorld Tourism Organization (WTO),Chile was the eighth most popular destination for foreigntourists within theAmericas in 2010, after theUnited States,Mexico,Canada,Argentina,Brazil, theDominican Republic, andPuerto Rico.[1] That year, 2,766,000 tourists entered the country, generating a revenue of US$1,636 million.[1] The majority of these visitors came from American countries, mainlyArgentina; however, the biggest growth in recent years has been in visitors fromEurope, especiallyGermany.[2]
In 2017, a record total of 6,449,993 international tourists visited Chile, a 13.3% increase from 2016. Argentina remained the most common country of origin, followed by Brazil. European tourists were third in terms of total numbers. The average tourist stayed for 10 nights. The Chilean government attributes the rise in tourism to "promotional campaigns, the development of new products and tourist destinations and a renewed diversification of experiences."[3]
Tourism for the year 2018 was projected to continue the increase in visitors, with more than 7 million international tourists estimated to travel to Chile.[4] Online guidebookLonely Planet has listed Chile as its number 1 destination to visit in 2018. Lonely Planet emphasizes visiting the city ofValparaiso, the northernAtacama Desert, andPatagonia to the south.[5] However, in 2018 and 2019, the Chilean tourism industry was plunged into a deep crisis by the adverse effects ofinternal unrest and theArgentine monetary crisis. As a consequence, Chile saw international tourism arrivals fall by more than 20% in 2019, to about 4.5 million.[6] The following year, theCOVID-19 pandemic caused further disruption to the Chilean tourism sector,[7] with a fall of 85.7% on 2019 and total visitors estimated at 1,122,858.[8] In 2021, just 161,000 foreigners visited Chile.[9]
Occupying the southwest part ofSouth America, Chile is normally divided into three geographic areas:[10]
Thelatitudinal width of the country, which spans over 39° (over 72° if the Chilean Antarctic Territory is included) its elevation and influence of the Pacific Ocean are the main factors behind theclimatic variety and landscape of Chile,[10] which determines the development of the formation of differentecosystems in the country.
The main Chileanattractions are the 6,435 km longcoast,[16] theAndeanSki resorts, themountains andvolcanoes, and theislands and archipelagos, including Easter Island.
The country has 14 natural monuments, 36 National Parks, 10 biosphere reserves, 52 natural reserves, 39sanctuaries of Nature, and 12Ramsar wetlands, mainly in the extreme parts of the country.[17]
Souvenirs one can buy in Chile includewines, copper etches, wood carvings, and textiles.[18]
TheAtacama Desert, thedriest desert in the world[19] was picked in October 2014 byLonely Planet to be among the 10 top travel regions of 2015.[20] The desert, which has been inhabited for several thousand years, makes up the main portion of theNorte Grande. A myriad ofgeoglyphs,petroglyphs andpictographs attest the presence of ancient cultures in the area. Among the most remarkable are those ofAzapa Valley,Lluta Valley, theAtacama Giant and Pintados Geoglyphs, these latter are protected within thePampa del Tamarugal National Reserve.R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum and the Archaeological Museum of San Miguel de Azapa are home to the most important collections of artifacts and mummies in Chile, including the famousChinchorro mummies, the oldest mummies in the world,[21] of theChinchorro culture buried between 5000 and 1700. C. The extreme aridity of the Atacama has been a key factor in the preservation of such archaeological remains.
TheChuquicamata copper deposit boasts the largestopen pit mine in the world[22] and the remains of extractions made from 12,000 and 10,000 years ago in aniron oxide mine, the oldest mine in the continent.[23][24]
Arica is a coastal city with beaches and is also a starting point for travelers heading east toPutre for enjoying the majesticPuna landscape ofLauca National Park. Southward from Lauca,Volcán Isluga National Park includes ceremonial sites for theAymara people.
Inland fromIquique, the desolate pampas are home to a few scattered towns and villages. Among those, the most interesting is the ghost town ofHumberstone, declaredWorld Heritage byUNESCO in 2005. In this area thetamarugo forests of thePampa del Tamarugal break the barren monotony of the landscape.
The altiplano of Norte Grande has a wide variety of natural scenery including salt flats, volcanoes, lakes and geysers.San Pedro de Atacama and surrounding area offer one of the most spectacular combinations of archeology and awe-inspiring natural sights. San Pedro was the cradle of theAtacameño Culture. Villages with interesting cultural past areCaspana,Toconao,Socaire andChiu Chiu. Notable are also the pre-Hispanic fortresses ofQuitor,Lasana and Turi.Antofagasta is the largest city in Norte Grande.La Portada, a stunningnatural arch, is located a short drive from Antofagasta.
Pan de Azúcar National Park is a park where sea and desert meet.
Also,there more than a dozen of astronomical facilities, including optical observatories and radio observatories. Among others, the most important are:Paranal (VLT), at an altitude of 2635 meters above sea level, is the world's most advanced and powerful astronomical observatory.[25] the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter Array), to date the largest astronomical project in the world;[26][27] andLa Silla,[28] all dependent of ESO (European Southern Observatory).
In this area can be seen theflowering desert, a phenomenon that occurs between September and November with normal range rainfall in the desert.[29] In the end of the Norte Grande, nearPutre, is theLake Chungará, one of the highest lakes in the world at 4500m above sea level,[30] andParinacota volcano.San Pedro de Atacama is frequently visited by foreign tourists who go to appreciate the architecture of the town, the highland lakes, and theMoon Valley, so named because its landscape resembles the moon.
The coastal resorts of the Norte Grande, likeArica,Iquique,Antofagasta, see an increase in national tourism during the summer months.
The Andes ofNorte Chico are home to many of the highest volcanoes in the world, the highlight being theOjos del Salado, the highest activevolcano in the world at 6,891.3 meters tall and the highest peak in Chile. It is also the second highest peak in theSouthern andWestern hemispheres.[31] Apart from Ojos del Salado and other volcanoes, attractions in this portion of the Andes includeNevado Tres Cruces National Park andLaguna Verde.
Norte Chico boasts some of the best beaches and exclusive coastal resorts in the country, such asBahía Inglesa and those ofLa Serena, andCoquimbo. These also see an increase in national tourism during the summer months.
The clear skies of Norte Chico and its world-renowned infrastructure have made it ideal for astronomical tourism[citation needed].
Elqui Valley is a very popular destination. In January 2015, the travel section ofThe New York Times said theElqui Valley as the 5th of the 52 places it had to visit in 2015.[32] Here, the dazzling green of the valley floor contrasts nicely with the barren brown slopes of the mountains that flank it.
Also found within Norte Chico isEl TatioGeyser Field, the largestgeyser fields in theSouthern Hemisphere and the third largest in the world.[33]
Thesyncretism betweenAymara tradition andCatholicism has produced festivals and religious traditions, such as those dedicated toVirgen del Carmen inLa Tirana and toVirgin ofAndacollo, andcarnivals. TheBaile chino, one of the manifestations of religious fervor, was declaredIntangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2014.[34]
This area is home to the main ski resorts in Chile, which attract a significant number of tourists from the northern hemisphere because the reversedalpine skiing season. They are Chapa Verde,Portillo,Valle Nevado andTermas de Chillán. Furthermore,Wine tourism is common inZona Central, and the Wine Routes of theCasablanca,Cachapoal andColchagua valleys are some of the finest in Chile.
Apart from the national capital itself and its many attractions, the metropolitan region surroundingSantiago includes several attractions such as theCajón del Maipo,Pomaire, and some of the oldest vineyards in the country, as well as various archaeological sites.[35]
Due to its proximity to the capital, the coast of theValparaiso Region has the largest number of tourists during the summer months, primarily on the central coast and inViña del Mar. The latter city is considered thetourist capital of Chile[36] thanks to its thirteenbeaches,[36] its various entertainment centers,one of major casinos in the country,[37] and theInternational Song Festival of Viña del Mar, the largest and best-known festival ofLatin America.[38][39][40]
Valparaíso is a wonderful, amphitheater-shaped city, whose historic quarter has been recognized as aWorld Heritage Site.
Santiago, the capital and main urban center of Chile, home to many historic sites and heritage. Within theGreater Santiago, there are 174heritage sites under the custody ofNational Monuments Council (CMN),[41] among which are archaeological, architectural and historical monuments, in addition to typical or picturesque areas. Of these, 93 are located within thecommune of Santiago, considered thehistoric center of the city[42] Although no Santiagan monument was even declaredWorld Heritage byUNESCO, three have already been proposed by the Chilean government: the Incan sanctuarycerro El Plomo, thechurch and convent of San Francisco andPalace of La Moneda[43] Meanwhile, in June 2012, the magazineNational Geographic listed theCentral Market of Santiago as fifth out of the ten best in the world.[44] In January 2011, the travel section ofThe New York Times listed the city of Santiago as the first of the 41 places it had to visit that year,[45] whileTripAdvisor considered it the sixth best destination ofSouth America in 2012.[46]
The O'Higgins Region, south of Santiago, is known as "Huaso country" for its ruralcriollo culture.[47]Pichilemu, in the O'Higgins Region, is reputed to have the best beaches forSurfing in Chile, if not the world.[48] Other tourist sites in the O'Higgins region include the historically significant city ofRancagua, and theRio de los Cipreses nature reserve.
Furthermore, in this area of the country areEl Teniente, the mostunderground mine ofcopper in the world,[49] and themining town of Sewell, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2006.
Further south in the Maule and Bio Bio regions are theRadal Siete Tazas National Reserve andLaguna del Laja National Park.
Araucanía Region is the heartland of theMapuche people. This area exhibits an incipient development of Indigenous tourism, in different sectors. in the coastal area of Araucania Ethnological tourism is developed on the banks MapucheBudi Lake.
TheChilean Patagonia, the circuit of theSeven Lakes and various national parks likeConguillío,Vicente Pérez Rosales, the oldest in Chile and most visited of the country in 2011;[50]Puyehue National Park between others.
The Andean sector of Araucania, highlight the great national parks, such asConguillio National Park the forest ofaraucarias,Villarrica National Park,huerquehue National Park,Tolhuaca National Park besides the national reserves asAlto Biobio National Reserve,Malalcahuello National Reserve,Nalcas National Reserve,Malleco National Reserve,China Muerta National Reserve.
The capital of Araucania isTemuco, city of different service, hotels, tourist circuits, airport, markets, and the symbolic and historic sectors, theCerro Ñielol Natural Monument is an icon of this city, and the most important tourist point.
Valdivia is one of Chile's most beautiful cities,[opinion] recognition received mainly because of its lush natural surrounding. South from the city lies the colonialValdivian Fort System.
Also in this area of the country are theLake O'Higgins, the deepest lake of theAmericas and fifth in the world with 836 meters;[51] On the other hand, several studies have located the oldestarchaeological remains of the current Chilean continental territory inMonte Verde,[52]Los Lagos Region, about 14,800B.C.,[53] at the end ofUpper Paleolithic, making it the first known human settlement in theAmericas.[54]
The Lake District is characterized by piedmont lakes crowned by snowcapped volcanoes, whose lower flanks are covered with lush forests of native trees. Lovely lake-resort towns and villages dot the lakesides, chieflyPucón,Villarrica,Frutillar andPuerto Varas.Puerto Montt is the tourist hub of the region; two of them, were considered among the best destinations in South America in 2012 by the specialized tourism siteTripAdvisor.
The almost perfect cone ofOsorno Volcano is an iconic landmark in the region, as isVillarrica Volcano, which is one of the few volcanoes in the world that has an activeLava lake.
As an added bonus, this zone includes the granite domes of theCochamó Valley.
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Zona Austral is a premier destination forEcotourism andAdventure travel. It features countless islands and islets, a maze of steep-sided fjords and channels, large glaciers and icefields and exuberant unspoilt temperate rainforests. Turbulent rivers descend from the Andes, chief of those being theFutaleufú River, which is widely considered one of the world's most challenging rivers forwhitewater kayaking andrafting. Other opportunities for outdoor recreation, include hiking,cycling,sea kayaking andflyfishing.
Chiloé is characterized by having a rolling green countryside, but is better known for its peculiar wooden architecture and for its culture, which is full of myths and traditions. Also is remarkable its temperate rainforests.
The scenicCarretera Austral crosses or is nearby to many of the most popular destinations in this portion of Chile. Those includePumalín Park,Yelcho Lake,Queulat National Park,Cerro Castillo National Reserve,General Carrera Lake andCaleta Tortel.
Laguna San Rafael National Park is the only park where visitors can contemplate at the same time the hugeglaciers of Patagonia and the rich diversity of plants of theValdivian Ecoregion.
Torres del Paine was selected as theeighth wonder of the world in 2013;,[55][56] one of the most beautiful national parks in the world.
In theice fields, theGlacier Pío XI (or Brüggen), the longest glacier in the southern hemisphere outside theAntarctic,[57] and one of the few advancing glaciers in the world; andPuerto Williams, the southernmost city in the world[58][59]
The sprawling glaciers of theCordillera Darwin, which is contained withinAlberto de Agostini National Park, are reachable only by boat. Other typical destinations arePuerto Williams andCape Horn.
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean,Easter Island, is world-renowned for its unique cultural and natural heritage. Traditionally calledRapa Nui and previously known asTe pito o te henua ("The navel of the world") andMata ki te rangi ('eyes looking at the sky'), it is one of the main tourist destinations in Chile because of its natural landscapes and mysterious ancient culture ofRapa Nui people that since time immemorial, developed completely isolated for centuries until it almost became extinct in the mid-19th century.[60][61] Its most notable feature is the over 1,000[62] enormous and mysterious statues known asmoai, which have been shrouded in mystery since their discovery. To preserve these characteristics, thegovernment has designated, through theNational Forestry Corporation (CONAF), the island asRapa Nui National Park, while UNESCO declared this park as a World Heritage Site in 1995.[63] It is named Easter Island because it was discovered on Easter Sunday in 1722.
Among the activities that can be carried out inRapa Nui are different excursions and tours, visiting the craft market, thePadre Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum, the ceremonial center Tahai, the quarries of Puna Pau andRano Raraku, visiting the differentahus on the beaches of Anakena and Ovahe, seeing the archaeological site ofOrongo,[64] witnessing shows with music and island dances, and the annual festivalTapati Rapa Nui, the main artistic and cultural activity of the island, where a series of ceremonies and traditions are performed.[65]
TheJuan Fernández archipelago is also well known for its jungles andendemic flora, formed by the islandsRobinson Crusoe,Santa Clara andAlexander Selkirk. The geological origin of these islands is volcanic and their subtropical weather is rainy. The activities that can be performed are varied, among them hiking, horseback riding, snorkeling, spearfishing, fishing, and observation of flora and fauna, which is mostly endemic. The Juan Fernández Islands are also known for being inhabited byAlexander Selkirk, the man who inspired the novelRobinson Crusoe. The islands were previously named Island Mas Afuera, and Island Mas a Tierra, but in 1966 the Chilean government renamed the Island Más Afuera to Alejandro Selkirk Island and Island Más a Tierra to Robinson Crusoe Island, in order to promote tourism. Incidentally, Selkirk never set foot on Alejandro Selkirk Island, only on Robinson Crusoe Island. The islands can be accessed by air and sea routes.
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According to information gathered by theNational Tourism Service (Sernatur), 35,000 tourists visited the Antarctic[13] in the 2012–2013 season, 32% more than in the 2011–2012 season, when it was visited by 26,500 people. 34% of those visitors were Europeans (34%).[66] Of the total percentage of visitors, 5% were from Chile.[66]
In Chile from June to September it is possible to practicewinter sports, especiallyskiing andsnowboarding[67] During theAndes, between the regions ofValparaíso andMagallanes and Chilean Antarctica, there are eighteenski resorts of international quality,[68] asPortillo, the oldest ski resort inSouth America and home to theFIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1966,[69] andValle Nevado,[70] which has one of the largest ski areas in South America[71]
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As part of the cultural heritage of Chile, there are buildings, objects and sites of archaeological, nature, architecture, handicraft, artistic, ethnographic, folk, historical, religious or technological scattered throughout the Chilean territory. Among them are those assets declaredWorld Heritage byUNESCO, in accordance with the provisions of the convention the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, of 1972, ratified by Chile in 1980.[72] These cultural sites are:[63]
Chile was included in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 lists of "The Developing World's 10 Best Ethical Destinations" complied by the magazineEthical Traveler. These lists were compiled based on metrics such as environmental protection, social welfare, and human rights.[73][74]
WithinBicentennial projects, the National Tourism Service (Sernatur), a dependent entity of theMinistry of Economy, Development and Tourism, launched in 2011 the first circuit of the touristic project "Rutas Chile", which aims to bring "more distinctive elements [...] in geographical matters, cultural, heritage and tourism [integrating] fundamental elements of national identity, the presence of featured tourist products [...] and the existence of road structure."[75] Thesetourist routes cover the fifteen regions of Chile and are formed according to a main theme, which is determined by the contents available along the route.[76]
In the table below are named the eleven tourist circuits and the corresponding regions of Chile, inISO code,.[77][75]
| Tourist circuits of Chile | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| «Chile routes» | AP | TA | AN | AT | CO | VS | MR | LI | ML | BI | AR | LR | LL | AI | MA |
| «Route of thedesert» |  | | | | |||||||||||
| «Route of the stars» | | ||||||||||||||
| «Route of thesea» | | ||||||||||||||
| «Capital route» | | ||||||||||||||
| «Great route of the wine» | | | | | | ||||||||||
| «Route of the coves» | | ||||||||||||||
| «Native route» | | | |||||||||||||
| «Route of theinterlakes» | | | | ||||||||||||
| «Route of theislands» | | | |||||||||||||
| «Austral adventure route» | | ||||||||||||||
| «Route of theChilean Patagonia» | | ||||||||||||||
The availability of hotel beds reaches over 22,500 in Santiago.[78] According to Sernatur, and according to services they offer and the requirements with which they comply, there are tenfive star hotels in Chile.[79] Ordered from north to south, those hotels are:
The etymological formAntártica [...] is most widely used in Chile [...] the wayAntártida [...] is the only one used in Spain and the favorite in most of America
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[T]he Viña del Mar International Song Contest [is] the oldest and biggest music festival in Latin America
The International Song Festival of Viña del Mar is the most important musical event of the continent
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New evidence from the Monte Verde archaeological site [...] confirms its status as the earliest known human settlement in the Americas
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