Chili did it again! For the fourth consecutive year our country won the category “Best Adventure Travel Destination in South America” at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2018, also known as the “Oscars of Tourism”.
In the distinction, Chile managed to position itself over iconic tourism countries such as Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay and Argentina. An honorable first place that places us in the race for the title of “Best Adventure Tourism Destination” of the planet, scepter that we already obtained the years 2016 and 2017, respectively.
In addition, and for the first time, the Atacama Desert was crowned the “Most Romantic Destination in South America” in the WTA, a category that was disputed vote by vote with Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador). Finally, the vote defined our desert as the favorite for a vacation for two.
ATTRACTIONS AND GROWTH OF THE TOURISM SECTOR
For the Undersecretary of Tourism, Monica Zalaquett, “this award ratifies the growing recognition that our country is having at an international level as a tourism power, which is due both to our many attractions and also to the efforts that we as a government are making to attract more visitors every day. This is a virtuous industry with great impact on the economy. In fact, it is currently the fourth largest export of goods, contributing 3.4% of Chile’s Gross Domestic Product.
For her part, the National Director of Sernatur, Andrea Wolleter, said that “it is a source of pride to be able to be recognized for Chile’s competitive advantages over our neighbors, such as the diversity of landscapes, unexplored nature, extreme experiences and the warmth of our people. All characteristics that in 2017 managed to attract more than 6 million foreign tourists to Chile, 14.3% more than in 2016, and that we are sure will also lead us to be the world’s winners in Adventure Tourism”.
Likewise, the executive director(s) of Imagen de Chile, Jorge Cortés, explained that “this distinction once again puts us in a privileged position to promote our country brand and continue projecting abroad that we are a territory of extremes, singular and diverse, capable of captivating with multiple experiences. This award, which is the result of work at a public-private level, favors our reputation and adds to other recognitions that have praised the captivating landscapes of the desert, Patagonia, our varied gastronomy and nightlife, to mention a few aspects”.
The 25th edition of the World Travel Awards for Latin America was held Sept. 15 at the Palacio de Cristal in Guayaquil, Ecuador, which was chosen as the venue for the 2018 version. Chile was represented by the country’s consul general in Ecuador, Rodrigo Hume.
The ‘Oscars of Tourism’ seek to promote and develop the travel industry and global tourism, rewarding the excellence and diversity of its offer, making the winners of these awards acquire a prestigious showcase at the international level.
For now, our country is expected to enter the world competition to keep the two awards as “Best Adventure Tourism Destination”, which it has already won for two consecutive years. Voting opens this September 24th. Everybody vote!