Argentina remains the main tourist-sending market, accounting for 38.5% of total arrivals in 2024, which is 26.9% more than in 2019 and 60% more than in 2023.
This Monday, the Chilean Government, through the Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur, reported that so far this year - ending in October - Chile has received a total of 4,085,940 international tourists, which represents an increase of 38.8% compared to 2023 and 7.7% more than in 2019.
Argentina remains the main tourist-sending market, accounting for 38.5% of total arrivals in 2024, which is 26.9% more than in 2019 and 60% more than in 2023.
Brazil ranks second, with 16.7% of the total number of tourists arriving, “highlighting its best year in history, with an increase of 71.2% compared to 2023 and 43.6% compared to 2019,” it was reported.
As for the markets classified as “recovered”, tourists from the United States stand out, with a total of 184,787 until October, +6.1% compared to 2019; and tourists from Uruguay have increased by 87.7% more than in 2023 and 0.7% compared to pre-pandemic figures (2019).
“In addition, this year there have been record numbers of travellers from Colombia and Mexico, who total 127,624 and 46,627 respectively, representing a +19.1% and +14.3% compared to 2019,” said the Undersecretariat of Tourism.
ENTRY ROUTES
Santiago Airport remains the main gateway, receiving a total of 1,859,827 international tourists so far in 2024, or 45.5% of total arrivals in the country.
As for border crossings, the Valparaíso region leads with 683,735 entries, of which 99.94% are through Cristo Redentor.
This is followed by the Magallanes region, with 283,239 entries, with the Dorotea Border Crossing standing out as the main entry point, with 39.32% of the regional total.
For its part, the Los Lagos region maintains a constant flow through the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Border Crossing, with 209,069 entries until October.
According to the data provided, the country has maintained a “solid recovery in foreign tourist arrivals.”
In October 2024 alone, the southern country received 456,569 international tourists, becoming the third month with the highest number of visitors, after January (506,231) and July (460,267).
"THE BEST NEWS OF 2024"
Following these figures, the Undersecretary of Tourism, Verónica Pardo, said that “this year's figures are the best news of 2024.”
He said this growth is the result of work “with a focus on strategic markets.”
“International promotion has been key, especially with initiatives such as the segmentation of Brazil, which has allowed us to open new air routes and significantly increase arrivals from that country, with an increase of 71.2% compared to 2023 and +43.6% compared to 2019,” he commented.
In this regard, the national director of Sernatur, Cristóbal Benítez, indicated that they have confirmed “that we have recovered the level of foreign tourist arrivals that we had before the pandemic; and that we have even set new trends with markets such as the Brazilian one, thanks to the work that we are carrying out through our International Marketing Plan.”
The authority also said that the projection is to “reach nearly 5 million tourist arrivals this year, which will be excellent news for inbound tourism.”
