Chile will make its largest ever investment in Australia this year as it aims to capitalise on improved air access to Santiago.
Tourism officials are ploughing US$150,000 into the local market through a combination of social media, famils and advertising, including a brand campaign on public buses.
It will also join forces with LAN and four wholesalers – Adventure World, Bunnik Tours, Natural Focus Safaris and Chimu Adventures – in a cooperative move to drive sales through the trade.
Around 50,000 Australians visited Chile last year, a rise on the previous year of more than 26%, with tourism officials looking for a further 20% increase this year.
Tourism Chile long haul marketing manager Carolina Valenzuela told Travel Today that improved air access and increased interest in Chile and the wider South America continent was behind the funding boost.
LAN operates daily services from Sydney to Santiago via Auckland with Qantas running three direct weekly services having switched its South American gateway from Buenos Aires to the Chilean capital earlier this year.
“Australia is a priority for us because of air connectivity,” she said. “We have decided to focus and invest in this market.”
Argentina tourism agency INPROTUR also identified Australia as a strategic market.
Valenzuela said the addition of Colombia to this week’s South America showcase strengthened the continent’s message to Australia agents and wholesalers.
“No one goes to only one country in South America so it makes sense to market the continent together,” she said. "Everyone sees South America as one. We all need each other.”
Chile will showcase its product to agents in Melbourne tonight alongside tourism officials from Argentina and Colombia. The final event of the Australia sales mission takes place in Brisbane tomorrow.
