Chile wins Leading Destination 2020 for the first time and reaffirms its leadership position in South America
In a new South American edition of the World Travel Awards, Chile retained the titles of Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, Leading Nature Destination and, for the Atacama Desert, Most Romantic Destination. It also added Leading Festival and Event Destination for Santiago, Chile.
Chilean tourism once again confirmed its place as the continental leader. Chile won five categories in the most recent edition of the World Travel Awards for South America, including Leading Destination of 2020 and, for the sixth straight year, Leading Adventure Tourism Destination.
Announced virtually, the results recognized South America’s best in tourism, placing Chile at the top with five new awards. Chile also won Leading Nature Destination for the second straight year and Leading Festival and Event Destination for the city of Santiago.
Finally, the fifth award, South America’s Most Romantic Destination, went to the Atacama Desert, which spans Chile’s northern region. In its third straight year leading this category, Chile upstaged iconic South American destinations such as Buenos Aires, Cartagena de Indias and Río de Janeiro.
Tourism Undersecretary, José Luis Uriarte, noted that Chile’s new award “recognizes years of great work by the people who bring Chilean tourism to life, especially the small businesses that represent the majority of the industry. I congratulate them because, through their commitment and passion for tourism, they have transformed a destination into a world-class experience. Our government is committed to continuing to make progress on positioning Chile as a leader in post-pandemic tourism. We are sure Chile’s unrivaled natural attractions will be a decisive factor in choosing a travel destination.”
These awards place Chile among the best in South America, which is good news according to the National Director of Chile’s National Tourism Service (SERNATUR), Andrea Wolleter, who said, “Despite the current pandemic, which hinders the ability to travel, we are on travelers’ minds. They voted for Chile because they have been here and know our tourism potential. We are working hard to reactivate this virtuous industry so we can welcome travelers again soon and flaunt these awards.”
After winning these five categories, Chile automatically competes in the worldwide edition of the World Travel Awards. The Undersecretariat for Tourism and the National Tourism Service lead a virtual support campaign #VotaPorChile. The winners of the awards, also known as the Oscars of Tourism, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Leaders in South America and tourism experiences to suit every taste
It is no secret that Chile’s vast national territory features a tremendous diversity of experiences that captivate millions of travelers from around the world each year. Chile showcased this natural bounty at the most recent edition of the World Travel Awards. These awards will be the ideal impetus for resuming tourism once conditions allow.
Being recognized as a leading country in nature and adventure gives us certain advantages for the return of tourism since outdoor experiences and a sustainable approach will be essential.
The Atacama Desert (Most Romantic Destination since 2018) will continue standing out for its colorful mountains, Altiplanic lagoons and impressive sunsets. On the other hand, thanks to the diversity of native flora and fauna and the more than 100 national parks and reserves, Chile reaffirms its position as South America’s Leading Nature Destination, an award it also won in 2019.