New Zealanders are hotter for Chile than ever before, according to the latest numbers released by the Tourism Authority of Chile. Lured by world-class food and wine, natural beauty, gorgeous cities, fascinating culture – and more flight options than ever before – Kiwis are flocking to Chile in record numbers.

Chile's tourism industry has reported its best year ever with international arrivals showing a 26% increase from 2015.  

New Zealand visitor numbers were up 3.9 % in 2016, reaching 9,991 - the second highest visitor total since 2014 when Chile received 10,502 visitors from New Zealand.*

For 2017, the Tourism Authority of Chile projects a 14% increase in international arrivals from 5.6 million to 6.4 million, with New Zealand visitor numbers expected to grow by 4 %.

According to Chimu Adventures and the Tourism Authority of Chile, increased air capacity, value for money and reduced misconceptions regarding distance and accessibility have been some of the main factors contributing to this growth. Also fuelling this new found love is Chile's recent win of “South America's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination” at the 2016 World Travel Awards.

“With air capacity at record heights, Chile has become more accessible for Kiwis than ever before” said Rachel Williams, Managing Director of Chimu Adventures for New Zealand.

“LATAM have increased their capacity into South America considerably over the last three years by switching to larger aircraft and we've been seeing the impact of the boost in seat numbers with some very competitive airfares.”

Juan Lopez, Asia Pacific Market Manager of the Tourism Authority of Chile added “New Zealand travellers seem to realise that Chile is closer than they always thought it would be, in fact, it's as close as a trip to LA!”

“Chile is a colourful destination offering variety like no other place on earth with its diversified landscapes from the glaciers to the salt plains and the desert, the great weather all year long and not to mention the hospitality and warmth of the locals.”

“Chile is often referred to as 'the Switzerland of South America' for a good reason - infrastructure and safety are better than ever before and improving every day.”

According to Chimu Adventures and the Tourism Authority of Chile, the top things to do in Chile for adventure lovers are:

• Explore Santiago and surrounds: Santiago is the entry point to Chile and a must-do for every visitor. Sitting in a deeply carved valley framed by high Andean peaks, Santiago is not only an extremely beautiful city but it also offers an amazing choice of food on top of boating a variety of art galleries, historic mansions and museums. In Santiago you also have a world of activities right at your doorstep such as the award-winning vineyards of the Maipo Valley as well as some of the best skiing slopes in winter that become exceptional wilderness hiking trails in summer.
• Visit Atacama Desert: The Atacama Desert located in Chile's north is considered the driest hot desert in the world. There are a lot of day activities visitors can choose from such as exploring the Salt Plains or visiting indigenous cultures.
• Cruise the fjords: Cruising along the channels and fjords of Tierra del Fuego in southern Patagonia, you will be able to appreciate nature at its most uninhibited sailing through its glaciers, snow-covered peaks, granite cliffs and glacial waterfalls.
• Trek Patagonia: Torres del Paine National Park has become a Patagonia icon offering a plethora of hiking opportunities giving adventure-seeking explorers the best perspective on Patagonian scenery, its mountains, turquoise lakes, rivers and glaciers.

***ENDS***

Note to editors:
*Statistics source: Tourism Authority of Chile

For media enquiries, please contact:
Lena Froelich PH: 02 9458 1222 E: Lena@chimuadventures.com

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Founded in 2004, Chimu Adventures offer fully flexible, guaranteed itineraries to Latin America, plus cruises to Antarctica. Catering to clients of all ages, Chimu's philosophy is simple, “use specialised knowledge to work with our clients, accommodating their individual needs at reasonable prices”.

Our team is committed to the destinations which we operate in and are proud members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) and International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA).  For more information visit www.chimuadventures.com