This recognition not only highlights the beauty and diversity of our destinations, but also the joint effort to strengthen Chile as a relevant player in world tourism.
Chile continues to consolidate its position as a tourism benchmark in South America after winning five awards at the latest edition of the World Travel Awards (WTA), considered the "Oscars of tourism". In this 32nd version of the awards, Chile was recognized as Best Adventure Tourism Destination, Best Romantic Destination (for the Atacama Desert), Best Green Destination, Best Nature Destination and Best Cruise Destination. This is the first time the country has been recognized in these last two categories, marking a new milestone in its international projection.
This award positions Chile as a privileged gateway for travelers exploring South America by sea, thanks to its extensive coastline and the diversity of experiences offered by its ports.
Eric Petri, executive secretary of the Corporación de Puertos del Conosur, said that this achievement "consolidates Chile as one of the most attractive and diverse destinations in South America for the cruise industry. This recognition is not isolated, but the result of the collaborative work of multiple tourism stakeholders, from the sectoral authorities, with whom we have promoted a Cruise Strategy as a public policy, to operators, port terminals and ship agents".
Petri added that this distinction "is an excellent letter of introduction to international cruise lines, as it shows the recognition that cruise passengers themselves make of Chile as a destination. In addition, we will work to make visible the logistical facilities offered by our ports, considering that, according to data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), six out of every ten cruise passengers who visit a destination return to it by their own means".
According to industry figures, Empresa Portuaria Austral leads with more than 79 thousand passengers served between Punta Arenas, Puerto Natales, Puerto Williams and Puerto Eden. It is followed by Puerto Montt, with 56 thousand passengers; San Antonio, with close to 30 thousand; and Valparaíso, with more than 15 thousand tourists. Other outstanding destinations are Rapa Nui, with 14 thousand passengers, and Juan Fernández, which received more than 7,500 visitors.
Among the cruise lines that brought the most visitors to the country were Carnival Corporation & PLC, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, with a combined total of more than 175,000 passengers.
The executive director of Imagen de Chile, María Teresa Saldías, highlighted that "this recognition not only highlights the beauty and diversity of our destinations, but also the joint effort to strengthen Chile as a relevant player in world tourism. Cruises are often the first experience of visitors with our country, and represent a unique opportunity to project a modern, sustainable and innovative image of Chile".
