Chile skilled a landmark yr for tourism in 2024, welcoming 5,239,233 overseas guests—a 40% enhance from 2023—in keeping with Chile’s Subsecretaría de Turismo.
This surge marked the nation’s strongest restoration for the reason that pandemic, surpassing pre-2020 ranges. Key drivers included an 80.6% rise in Uruguayan vacationers and a continued inflow of Argentine guests, who accounted for over half of whole arrivals.
This development underscores Chile’s enchantment as a main vacation spot for South American vacationers, fueled by affordability, various landscapes, and improved connectivity.
Uruguayan arrivals reached roughly 65,000 in 2024, a 60% leap from the earlier yr, as reported by Uruguay’s Ministerio de Turismo. Chile emerged as Uruguay’s fastest-growing vacation spot overseas, outpacing conventional favorites like Argentina and Brazil.
Carlos Pera, president of the Asociación Uruguaya de Agencias de Viajes (Audavi), attributed this development to Chile’s deal with exploration and leisure relatively than procuring.
Common airfares from Montevideo hovered round $300, with resort charges beginning at $50 per night time—making Chile an accessible but enriching choice. Financial shifts in Argentina additionally performed a pivotal function.
Argentina’s Financial Shifts Increase Chilean Tourism
President Javier Milei’s insurance policies lowered Argentina’s value benefit over Uruguay, narrowing the trade charge hole from 180% in September 2023 to simply 21.7% by late 2024, in keeping with the Universidad Católica del Uruguay.
This variation redirected Uruguayan vacationers westward to Chile, the place steady foreign money and enhanced airline companies provided compelling options. By mid-2024, ticket gross sales to Chile had already matched the whole for all of 2023.
Argentine vacationers additionally flocked to Chile in file numbers, pushed by financial instability at dwelling. The December 2023 peso devaluation made Chile a procuring haven for Argentines in search of electronics, groceries, and different items at costs as much as 50% decrease than in Buenos Aires.
Official information confirmed Argentine arrivals rose 45% within the first half of 2024 alone, with common locations together with Santiago and border cities like Temuco. Chile’s enchantment lies in its distinctive mixture of pure magnificence, affordability, and accessibility.
From Patagonia’s glaciers to the Atacama Desert’s salt flats, its landscapes cater to each journey seekers and cut price hunters. Enhanced air routes and steady pricing additional solidify its place as a prime vacation spot for South People. Consultants predict sustained development into 2025, cementing Chile’s standing as a regional tourism powerhouse.
