The arrival of a new low-cost airline, negotiations regarding the presence of Chile in the Visa Waiver Program, and the appearance of seven Chilean vineyards among the best 50 in the world were some of the news from the tourism industry in July 2023.
Here at Trade News, we will tell you about the main news from the sector, which is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic.
Seven Chilean vineyards are among the best in the world
Seven Chilean vineyards are in the Top 50 of the World’s Best Vineyards 2023, considered as the Oscars for wine tourism. Two of them are among the top ten: VIK from Cachapoal Valley (3rd), and Montes from Colchagua Valley (7th).
In addition to these, there are Alclohuaz Vineyard from Elqui Valley (25°), Casas del Bosque from Casablanca Valley (37°), Clos de Apalta (39°) and Viu Manent (43°) from Colchagua Valley, and Villa Errázuriz from Aconcagua Valley (50°).
Pan American Games 2023: Chile in the public eye of the world
The Pan American and Parapan American Games 2023 are coming, an event that will take place in 22 districts and will last from October 20th to November 26th.
The eyes of the world will be on Chile. The architect, urban planner, and dean at the Creative Campus of the Universidad Andrés Bello, Ricardo Abuauad, emphasized on Pauta Radio that “we will be in the public eye of the world” and that “it can be pretty good if we make the most of it and if the reports are positive, but we are facing a great risk.”
It is not the only event which there are high expectations about. The World Summit of Astrotourism will be held in Vicuña between September 6th and 9th, days in which the Elquina capital will seek to position itself as the “World Capital of Astronomy,” according to La Serena Online.
Conversations about the Visa Waiver Program
Concern has generated the debate that arose in the United States about the permanence of Chile in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows us to travel to the North American country for up to 90 days without the need for a visa. Our country is the only one from Latin America that has this benefit.
In this context, the Ambassador to the United States in Chile, Bernadette Meehan, assured that the negotiations about that are on the right track. “While Chile continues to meet the requirements, it can remain in the program,” said the diplomat, according to what she said on AND Radio.
The hotel sector lives to the fullest the snowy season
The Nevado Valley began its 2023 winter season, where it expects to receive about 250,000 people.
Meanwhile, the NH Collection Casacostanera, NH Ciudad de Santiago, and NH Collection Plaza Santiago hotels presented their 2023 snowy season.
At the same time, Marriott Bonvoy and Turistik hotels established a cooperation alliance to highlight the best places in Santiago, according to La Cartelera.
On the other hand, the Torres del Paine National Park partially reopened thanks to the positive evolution of the weather conditions, although with a series of limits as ordered by the Agriculture Emergencies Committee Agro.
And regarding the 2023-2024cruise season, the Puerto de Valparaíso Company (EPV in Spanish) expects to receive 30 ships and plans the arrival of about 47,950 visitors, which is equivalent to an increase of 14% in comparison to the previous cycle.
A new low-cost airline will arrive in Chile in October
A new low-cost airline will operate in Chile. It is the Dominican company Arajet, which will begin operating on October 29th with a direct route between Santiago and Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
According to El Informador Chile, the company will offer three weekly flights that will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. It will also have connections with other countries in the region, such as Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Canada.
Latin America has recovered almost all its air traffic related to pre-pandemic levels. In May, 29,800,000 visitors traveled to the region, which is equivalent to 1.8% compared to 2019 levels.
In the specific case of Chile, the growth trend was 4% compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to La Agencia de Viajes de Chile.
Meanwhile, Aysen Region awaits with enthusiasm the new terminal at the Balmaceda Airport, whose first stone was placed on July 26th in a ceremony held by the Minister of Public Works, Jessica López, according to Cooperativa.
Airlines increase their flight offer
Regarding the airlines, LATAM will increase its flights from and to Easter Island to six weekly flights as of August 1st. According to information from 24 Horas, the objective is to help recover tourism in the area. On the other hand, the company will increase its flights again between Santiago and Madrid from November 1st, according to Aviacionline.
Moreover, Jet SMART will increase its presence in Colombia with three new routes. From November, it will connect Lima with Medellín (MDE), Cartagena, and Cúcuta, according to AeroNaves. The company celebrated its sixth anniversary in Chile on July 25th, commemorating it with the incorporation of an A321 neo commercial airplane.
For its part, SKY Airline published its first sustainability report on LinkedIn, with information corresponding to the year 2022. To present it, the company organized the discussion “Non-stop Sustainability: ESG takeoff in the region.”
