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| Chile Tourism Board | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chile Tourism Board |
| Native name | Servicio Nacional de Turismo |
| Type | National tourism agency |
| Headquarters | Santiago |
| Region served | Chile |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Chile Tourism Board is the national body responsible for promoting Chile as a tourist destination, coordinating policies, and developing products across regions such as Atacama Region, Antofagasta Region, Valparaíso Region, and Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Region. It interacts with ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Chile), CORFO, and regional governments like the Intendant (Chile). The Board works with international organizations such as the World Tourism Organization, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and partners from markets including United States, China, Brazil, and Argentina.
The agency emerged after policy shifts during the administration of Augusto Pinochet and the transition to democracy under Patricio Aylwin, with earlier institutional predecessors linked to tourism efforts in the 20th century. Institutional reforms in the 1990s aligned the tourism agenda with export promotion models used by ProChile and SERNATUR-adjacent offices. Landmark initiatives coincided with events such as the 2002 Winter Olympics bids considerations and the globalization trends driven by trade agreements like the Chile–United States Free Trade Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. Responses to crises—such as the 2010 Chile earthquake and the COVID-19 pandemic—shaped resilience planning and recovery programs drawn from practices in the European Union and recommendations by the World Bank.
The Board's governance structure interfaces with executive instruments from the Presidency of Chile and statutory frameworks influenced by legislation debated in the Chilean National Congress. Leadership appointments often reflect political alignments with administrations from figures like Sebastián Piñera and Michelle Bachelet. Its internal divisions coordinate with agencies such as Subsecretariat of Tourism (Chile), Directorate of Cultural Heritage (Chile), and municipal associations in cities like Santiago, Valparaíso, Pucón, and Puerto Natales. Oversight and auditing interact with institutions including the Comptroller General of the Republic of Chile and budget reviews presented to the Chilean Chamber of Deputies.
Core functions include product development for segments like wine tourism in Chile, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and polar expeditions to Antarctic Peninsula. Programmatic lines support routing such as the Carretera Austral corridor, heritage trails in Chiloé, and conservation-linked initiatives at Torres del Paine National Park and Rapa Nui National Park. Training and capacity-building are delivered in partnership with vocational providers and universities such as the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and University of Chile. Safety, standards, and certification draw on norms from international frameworks like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and bilateral accords with agencies such as SNASPE and CONAF.
Promotion campaigns have targeted source markets including United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, and Canada, using branding concepts that evoke landscapes from the Atacama Desert to the Patagonia fjords. The Board has run campaigns alongside cultural showcases featuring artists and institutions like Isla de Pascua performers, collaborations with airlines such as LATAM Airlines and global platforms like Tripadvisor and Booking.com. Strategic use of events—festivals in Valparaíso, film showcases at the Santiago International Film Festival (SANFIC), and gastronomy linked to Santiago a Mil—has broadened visibility. Media partnerships include work with broadcasters like BBC and CNN and participation in trade fairs such as ITB Berlin and WTM London.
The Board engages in multilateral forums including the World Travel & Tourism Council and bilateral cooperation with tourism authorities from Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and New Zealand. It organizes participation in international events like Expo 2015 and supports sporting events such as stages of the Vuelta Ciclista a Chile and expeditions connected to The Amazing Race. Academic exchanges with institutions such as the University of Oxford and research collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society have advanced product development, while partnerships with conservation NGOs like WWF and The Nature Conservancy inform sustainable tourism strategies.
Economic impacts include increased arrivals from markets like United States and China, rising investment in hospitality in regions such as Easter Island and Pucon, and linkages to sectors represented by Aston Hotels-type operators and local SMEs. Controversies have arisen over overtourism in fragile sites such as Rapa Nui and Torres del Paine National Park, debates over indigenous rights involving Mapuche communities, and conflicts around infrastructure projects like airport expansions at Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport and hospitality development in Bío-Bío Region. Critiques from organizations including Amnesty International and scholarly critiques published by researchers at the Catholic University of Valparaíso have focused on cultural impacts, environmental carrying capacity, and equitable benefit distribution.
Funding streams include allocations from the national budget approved by the Chilean Ministry of Finance, revenue from promotional activities, and cooperative financing with export promotion entities such as ProChile and regional development banks like the Inter-American Development Bank. Budget cycles require reporting to bodies like the Budget Office (Chile) and parliamentary committees within the Chilean Senate. Public–private partnerships have financed infrastructure linked to major events and routes supported by private carriers and hotel groups such as Hoteles Marriott-affiliated investments and regional tourism consortiums.
Category:Tourism in Chile Category:Government agencies of Chile