Tourism in Chile
According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Chile was the eighth most popular destination for foreign tourists within the Americas in 2010, after the United States, Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
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.
Lonely Planet emphasizes visiting the city of Valparaiso, the northern Atacama Desert, and Patagonia to the south.
[9] Occupying the southwest part of South America, Chile is normally divided into three geographic areas:[10] The latitudinal 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 the climatic variety and landscape of Chile,[10] which determines the development of the formation of different ecosystems in the country.
[23][24] Arica is a coastal city with beaches and is also a starting point for travelers heading east to Putre for enjoying the majestic Puna landscape of Lauca National Park.
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.
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] and La Silla,[28] all dependent of ESO (European Southern Observatory).
The coastal resorts of the Norte Grande, like Arica, Iquique, Antofagasta, see an increase in national tourism during the summer months.
[31] Apart from Ojos del Salado and other volcanoes, attractions in this portion of the Andes include Nevado Tres Cruces National Park and Laguna Verde.
Norte Chico boasts some of the best beaches and exclusive coastal resorts in the country, such as Bahía Inglesa and those of La Serena, and Coquimbo.
The clear skies of Norte Chico and its world-renowned infrastructure have made it ideal for astronomical tourism[citation needed].
Of these, 93 are located within the commune of Santiago, considered the historic center of the city[42] Although no Santiagan monument was even declared World Heritage by UNESCO, three have already been proposed by the Chilean government: the Incan sanctuary cerro El Plomo, the church and convent of San Francisco and Palace of La Moneda[43] Meanwhile, in June 2012, the magazine National Geographic listed the Central Market of Santiago as fifth out of the ten best in the world.
[44] In January 2011, the travel section of The New York Times listed the city of Santiago as the first of the 41 places it had to visit that year,[45] while TripAdvisor considered it the sixth best destination of South America in 2012.
[48] Other tourist sites in the O'Higgins region include the historically significant city of Rancagua, and the Rio de los Cipreses nature reserve.
Also in this area of the country are the Lake O'Higgins, the deepest lake of the Americas and fifth in the world with 836 meters;[51] On the other hand, several studies have located the oldest archaeological remains of the current Chilean continental territory in Monte Verde,[52] Los Lagos Region, about 14,800 B.C.,[53] at the end of Upper Paleolithic, making it the first known human settlement in the Americas.
Lovely lake-resort towns and villages dot the lakesides, chiefly Pucón, Villarrica, Frutillar and Puerto 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 site TripAdvisor.
It features countless islands and islets, a maze of steep-sided fjords and channels, large glaciers and icefields and exuberant unspoilt temperate rainforests.
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.
Among the activities that can be carried out in Rapa Nui are different excursions and tours, visiting the craft market, the Padre Sebastián Englert Anthropological Museum, the ceremonial center Tahai, the quarries of Puna Pau and Rano Raraku, visiting the different ahus on the beaches of Anakena and Ovahe, seeing the archaeological site of Orongo,[64] witnessing shows with music and island dances, and the annual festival Tapati Rapa Nui, the main artistic and cultural activity of the island, where a series of ceremonies and traditions are performed.
[65] The Juan Fernández archipelago is also well known for its jungles and endemic flora, formed by the islands Robinson Crusoe, Santa Clara and Alexander Selkirk.
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.
