How is tourism regulated in Chile?

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In February 2010 the Tourism Law 20.423 was born, which regulates the tourism industry in Chile, tourism becomes a strategic axis of development for the country and together with this law the Undersecretary of Tourism and the Ministry of Economy are given life, it is now called the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism. Did you already know, if you did not know you need to read this article.

The institutional system for the development of tourism is the name given to the law and with it, issues of vital importance for tourism activity are regulated. The reader will find out about the most relevant points of this law, so do not forget that it is a summary, so it is suggested that for more information you download the original document.

Law 20.423 has as its objective the development and promotion of tourism activity, through mechanisms aimed at the creation, conservation and use of national tourism resources and attractions. Chile is a country with a magnificent geography that allows us to have a summary of the geographies at an international level, we have a great variety of natural tourist resources.

1. There must be a national tourism policy that will aim to: determine the objectives, actions and priorities that will govern the sector, in accordance with the principles enshrined in the law.
2. A Committee of Tourism Ministers should be created, hereinafter “the Committee”, whose function will be, through the Minister President of the same, to advise the President of the Republic in setting the guidelines of government policy for the development of tourism activity, will be composed of The Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism, who shall preside over it, The Minister of Public Works, The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, The Minister of Agriculture, The Minister of National Assets, The Minister President of the National Commission on the Environment and The President of the National Council for Culture and the Arts.
3. The Under-Secretariat for Tourism shall be established in the Ministry of the Economy, Development and Tourism, as the body that immediately collaborates with the Minister President of the Committee, who shall also be responsible for coordinating the public services in the sector, and others such as

• To advise the Minister President of the Committee on matters within his competence.
• Elaborate and propose to the Committee the plans, programs and projects for the encouragement, promotion and development of tourism.
• Periodically inform the Committee about the progress of the sector, the compliance, execution, results and development of its agreements and instructions.
• Hire natural or legal persons, public or private, national or foreign, to carry out studies related to the operation and integral development of the sector, as well as those of pre-feasibility and feasibility that are necessary for the formulation and execution of the National Tourism Policy and the Promotion Policy of the same.
• To supervise the elaboration, execution and fulfillment of the Annual Action Plan of the National Tourism Service.
• To propose to the Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism, the annual budget of the Undersecretary of Tourism and the National Tourism Service.
• To request from the Ministries, public services and entities in which the State has capital, participation or representation, the background and information necessary for the fulfillment of its functions.
• To propose the simplification and modification of the rules and procedures required for the entry, stay and exit of tourists from the national territory, coordinating with the competent services the respective facilitation measures.
• Fulfill the functions entrusted to it by law and those delegated to it by the Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism.

• With respect to the zones of tourist interest, the law in this item specifies that the communal territories, intercommunal or certain areas within these, which have special conditions for tourist attraction and which require conservation measures and integrated planning to promote investments from the private sector, may be declared Zones of Tourist Interest.
  A regulation of the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, also signed by the other ministers who make up the Committee, will regulate the form and conditions for proceeding with the declaration referred to in the previous paragraph. The Areas of Tourist Interest will have a priority character for the execution of public programs and projects to promote the development of this activity, as well as for the allocation of resources for infrastructure works and necessary equipment.
• With regard to the development of tourism in state protected areas, tourism activities may only be developed in state-owned protected wildlife areas when they are compatible with their protection purpose, and the biological diversity, nature preservation and conservation of the environmental heritage must be ensured.