Although it’s still early to draw conclusions, there are some factors by which indicate that Chile has a tremendous advantage in a post-COVID world. 

Like most countries, Chile was highly affected by the entry of the virus and its first wave. However, the country was able to respond positively even when the health centers were at maximum capacity. Upon landing in the country in March, the worst rates of contagion were during the months of May and June, during which the curve had its highest growth and peak of infections. In July and August, there was a sharp drop in the curve, allowing a reopening of daily activities from September onward.

Although the authorities and experts do not rule out the possibility of a second wave hitting Chile, there are certain factors by which we believe that the country will have a positive reactivation in the sector.

Here are 5 reasons why Chile is well-positioned for travel in 2021-2022

1.- “There is no free rein”

Unlike certain freedoms that existed during the summer of countries in the northern hemisphere, the Chilean authorities have reported that they will extend their restrictive measures for the entire summer period, regulating and coordinating the different regions and communes of Chile according to their behavior and infection rate.  

2.- “Early arrival of the vaccine”

It is expected that 80% of the Chilean population will have been vaccinated by the end of the first semester (2021). It’s important to mention that Chile was the first Latin American country to receive the Pfizer vaccine and to begin its vaccination process in December 2020. In negotiations with laboratories, the country agreed to purchase 20 million doses with the companies Pfizer / BioNTech and Sinovac. Chile has a population of approximately 18 million inhabitants, so the entire process could be relatively “fast”. 

3.- “Coordinated systems”

Health protocols have been rigorously applied, especially by establishments that seek to protect their operation and sources of work, such as transfer services, restaurants and accommodation, among others. Although there has been strong criticism of many measures that have been applied and the rebels are not lacking, there is a general consensus in the population to follow the rules and maintain self-care. 

4.- “Chile, a destination of Nature and Adventure”

Without a doubt. there is a tendency for people to travel to destinations rich in nature and adventure activities. Chile has consistently stood out in the adventure community and has been deemed as the best adventure destination from the World Travel Awards for the past 5 years (2015-2020).  

5.- “New and better services”

The pandemic has forced us to examine whether the tourism industry was following the correct steps. Tourism and hotel operators have been able to use this period of respite to reflect and reimagine their products, forcing greater personalization of services, and placing an emphasis on smaller groups, and a heightened awareness of the environment. These changes help promote more responsible tourism, which ultimately translates to a better experience for the end-user.