Chile hosted more than 840 thousand foreign tourists

Erika

February 13, 2025

In the context of the inauguration of the “Chile, an infinite journey” walkway at the international terminal of the Santiago Airport, the Undersecretary of Tourism, Verónica Pardo, together with the national director of Sernatur, Cristóbal Benítez, and the general manager of Nuevo Pudahuel, Nicolas Claude, presented the figures of foreign tourist arrivals to the country.

During January 2025, Chile received 846,821 international visitors, which represents an increase of 67.3% compared to the same month in 2024. In relation to 2023, the increase was 77.3%, and compared to 2019, 35.4%. In terms of the origin of tourists, Argentina led with 61.2% of total arrivals, followed by Bolivia (7.5%), Brazil (6.3%), Peru (4.1%) and the United States (3.7%).

The Undersecretary of Tourism, Verónica Pardo, highlighted that these results reflect a consolidation of the sector and project that 2025 will be a key year for tourism in Chile,. “January’s figures confirm a growth that we estimate will be between 38% and 49%, which represents an excellent sign for the economy and the tourism industry. This increase not only strengthens the sector, but also dynamizes trade and related services, boosting the country’s foreign exchange earnings,” he said.

Regarding tourist preferences, Pardo said that Argentine visitors have shown a marked interest in destinations such as Santiago, Viña del Mar-Concón, Valparaíso and La Serena-Coquimbo. Their spending has been concentrated mainly in shopping (26.3% of the total budget), followed by restaurants and lodging. Brazilian tourists reflect a diversified consumption pattern, with 13.3% of their budget allocated to shopping.

Argentine tourist arrivals reached 517,976 visitors in January, up 151.8% compared to 2024 (205,678 visitors) and up 92.4% compared to 2019 (269,245 visitors).

The positive performance in December 2024 and January 2025 has led to an upward readjustment of foreign tourist arrivals projections for the summer season. Between 2.5 and 2.7 million visitors are expected to arrive in the country, which would represent a growth of between 38% and 49% compared to the previous season.

Trends and strategic markets

During January, several key markets experienced significant growth compared to 2024: Bolivia (+41.0%), Peru (+5.8%) and the United States (+1.7%). In relation to 2019, the United States (+7.5%), Uruguay (+14.8%) and Mexico (+22.2%) stood out.

Cristóbal Benítez, national director of Sernatur, highlighted the importance of the work done in recent years through the international marketing plan, focused on strategic markets such as Brazil and the United States. “The results we are presenting today validate our strategy. These countries remain among the top five issuers of tourists to Chile, as well as the European market, which has shown a significant recovery with a growth of 11% compared to January 2024,” he said.

Benítez also emphasized the key role of border markets in boosting tourism in all regions of the country. “These markets are strategic for the development of destinations nationwide and their growth is aligned with our international promotion actions,”

Main Points of Entry

The Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport led foreign tourist arrivals with 25.4% of the total (215,015 people), followed by the Cristo Redentor System (Los Libertadores) with 24.6% (208,263 visitors). Other relevant entry points were the Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass (7.7%) and Colchane (5.0%).

Chile, an infinite journey: promoting national identity at the airport

In parallel to the presentation of tourism figures, the authorities inaugurated the project “Chile, an infinite journey. The textures of water”, located in Terminal 2 of the Santiago International Airport.

The general manager of Nuevo Pudahuel, Nicolas Claude, highlighted the importance of this initiative for the dissemination of Chilean identity. “We are working on enabling more spaces that allow travelers to know the beauty of Chile, and its landscapes. This effort becomes even more relevant in a context of record traffic, as we close 2024 with 26.2 million passengers and reach 2.6 million, 6% more than in the same period of 2024,” he said.

The project consists of the installation of large format images with explanatory texts, as well as an intervention on the glass of the access corridors with a translucent material that visually represents the geography of Chile, from north to south. The exhibition seeks to transform the airport’s spaces into a sensory experience that reflects the richness of the country’s aquatic ecosystems.

The photographic exhibition highlights the diversity of Chile’s bodies of water, from the vast Pacific Ocean to the imposing glaciers of Patagonia, to the mighty rivers and crystalline lakes of the south. The images, captured by renowned Chilean photographers, offer a unique perspective of the country’s water wealth.

The design of the intervention on the windows follows a chromatic progression that runs through the territory from north to south, starting with yellow tones and evolving towards blue, in reference to Patagonia and its ice. In addition, QR codes have been incorporated that allow travelers to access additional information and tourist data on the most emblematic destinations in Chile.

With this type of initiatives, Chile, not only strengthens its positioning as an attractive destination for international travelers, but also reinforces its cultural and natural identity to the world.