Chile’s National Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2035: A Commitment to an Ecological Future

Chile recently unveiled its National Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2035, an ambitious initiative aimed at positioning tourism as a central pillar of the country’s sustainable development. The strategy, presented by the Undersecretariat of Tourism and the National Tourism Service (Sernatur), sets out clear objectives and concrete actions to transform Chile’s tourism sector.

Objectives of the Strategy

Chile’s National Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2035 is based on several main objectives:

1. Promote Economic and Environmental Sustainability: Encourage tourism practices that minimise environmental impact while stimulating the local economy.
2. Encourage Social and Cultural Inclusion: Ensure that tourism development benefits all communities, respecting and valuing local cultures.
3. Strengthen Governance and Coordination: Put in place effective governance mechanisms to coordinate efforts between the various stakeholders in the sector.

Key actions

To achieve these objectives, a number of actions have been identified:

1. Certification and Eco-labels: Develop certification systems for tourism businesses that adopt sustainable practices.
2. Training and awareness-raising: Offer training programmes for tourism professionals to raise their awareness of sustainability issues and best practices.
3. Promotion of Responsible Tourism: Launch promotional campaigns to encourage tourists to adopt responsible and environmentally-friendly behaviour.
4. Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure: Allocate resources to develop ecological and sustainable tourism infrastructure.

Challenges and prospects

The implementation of the National Strategy for Sustainable Tourism 2035 involves a number of challenges:

• Multi-sectoral coordination: The need to coordinate actions between various sectors and levels of government for effective implementation.
• Sustainable Funding: Ensuring adequate and ongoing funding to support sustainability initiatives.
• Local Community Involvement: Encouraging the active participation of local communities in the development and management of tourism projects.

Expected Impact

The impact of this strategy is expected to be significant in a number of ways:

• Economic: Sustainability can attract new market segments, particularly environmentally conscious tourists, and strengthen the local economy.
• Environmental: Reducing the ecological footprint of the tourism sector will help to protect Chile’s natural landscapes and biodiversity.
• Social: By enhancing local cultures and including communities in the process, tourism can become a vehicle for social cohesion and community development.

Chile’s National Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2035 marks a crucial stage in the country’s commitment to responsible, environmentally-friendly tourism development. By putting forward concrete actions and setting ambitious targets, Chile is establishing itself as a regional leader in the field of sustainable tourism. This initiative promises to transform Chile’s tourism landscape, while delivering lasting benefits for the economy, the environment and local communities.