Expedition Chile Connects Destinations with International Buyers - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

Chile is strengthening the international distribution of its tourism products with the second edition of Expedition Chile. Held from 21 to 28 August 2026 under the theme “Espíritu Indómito”, the initiative brought 52 international buyers to the country to experience destinations first-hand and establish direct business contacts with Chilean tourism companies.

Organised by the National Tourism Service, Sernatur, the programme combined familiarisation trips covering five destinations and four routes with a business workshop in Santiago. The initiative forms part of a shift in Chile’s international promotion strategy from generating visitor volume towards attracting higher-spending travellers, developing high-value segments and spreading the economic benefits of tourism more widely across the country.

From Atacama to Patagonia

The international buyers explored some of Chile’s most distinctive landscapes and tourism products. The programme included San Pedro de Atacama, Chiloé and the Lake Llanquihue area, Punta Arenas and the southern glaciers, as well as Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine.

Nature plays a central role in this positioning. According to Undersecretary of Tourism María Paz Lagos, around 60 percent of international visitors to Chile are motivated by the country’s natural attractions.

“Chile has high-standard experiences to offer, designed for travellers looking for nature, local connections and quality,” Lagos said. She emphasised the role of tour operators in bringing these experiences to international markets, developing new routes and creating business opportunities under the “Choose Chile” positioning.

Buyers from Europe, the Americas and Australia

The 2026 edition brought together buyers from Australia, Germany, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Brazil. The Brazilian delegation also included specialists from the MICE segment.

All 52 participating accounts operate in the upscale and luxury segments. Their selection reflects Sernatur’s 2027 market strategy, which identifies Brazil, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany and Australia for an integrated approach combining campaigns, public relations, cooperation with the travel trade and industry partnerships.

The strong European representation also gives Chilean destinations and suppliers direct access to several of the continent’s most important long-haul source markets.

58 Chilean suppliers meet international operators

The programme concluded at the Pullman Hotel in Santiago with a business workshop involving 58 Chilean tourism products, tour operators and hotels.

“We have brought 52 international accounts from our priority markets to discover our destinations and the new products that have been developed there,” said Sernatur National Director Cristóbal Benítez. He described the workshop as an opportunity for Chilean companies to connect directly with the international distribution chain and establish new commercial relationships.

The format is designed to move beyond destination promotion alone. International buyers first experience products on the ground and can then discuss contracting and future cooperation directly with suppliers.

Sernatur reports strong return on investment

Sernatur’s evaluation of previous international promotional activities indicates that initiatives of this type generate an estimated return equivalent to 22.8 times the investment, placing them among the organisation’s most effective promotional measures.

The agency attributes the performance partly to Expedition Chile’s explicitly commercial structure, combining first-hand destination experiences with meetings between selected international buyers and local tourism businesses.

With its second consecutive edition, Expedition Chile is developing into a dedicated international sales platform for the country. By connecting regional destinations and tourism companies directly with upscale and luxury operators from priority source markets, Chile aims to turn international visibility into measurable business opportunities.

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