Chile’s Tourism Peaks Record High of Hard-Currency Gains

Chile’s travel industry reaped a record high $1.1 billion dollars worth of hard-currency revenues all through 2003.

A report issued by the country’s Tourism National Service (SERNATUR), points out that as many as 1,696,889 tourists visited the South American nation last year. Experts believe the nation is in a position to reach the two-million-visitor milestone this time around.

SERNATUR Chief Oscar Santelices said the good outcomes prove the country’s policy of international promotion and advertisement –worked out together with the private sector- is truly paying off.

According to Mr. Santelices, most long-haul sending markets, like Europe and North America, chipped in a good deal of all hard currency monies collected by the country’s tourism industry in 2003.

Both European and North American trekkers left $460 million in profits in 2003, approximately 55 percent of all the money spent by foreign tourists in Chile last year.