Brazil hopes to attract more visitors to lesser-known parts of The Amazon
With Latin America growing in popularity, Sarah Gordon asks how countries are persuading tourists to move away from the traditional sites and attract repeat visitors
Off the beaten track A
lmost 104 million visitors travelled to Latin America in 2017, a figure expected to grow to 122.5 million by 2022, according to Euromonitor International.
The US still makes up the majority of these tourists – due in particular to its proximity to Mexico – but China is presenting the strongest growth among the top 10 visitor countries, while European tourist numbers are also increasing. It is a trend reflected in tourism organisations around the world; for example, the UK’s Latin American Travel Association had welcomed 24 new members by July this year, on top of 25 last year. As more people visit, tourist boards hope to promote lesser-known areas as well as the blockbuster sights they are famous for. It is an important strategy not just to ensure tourists are evenly spread around each country and avoid overcrowding, but also to attract second and third-time visitors. Tour operators constantly seeking out new experiences for their customers support this drive. Jen Richt, head of the Latin America team at Jacada Travel, explains: “We are always keen to hear what people on the ground have to say, and getting the tourist board’s insight is a fantastic way to hear about new and exciting events and excursions that might fit with our clients’ needs.” Here we take a look at how tourist
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boards are opening up new destinations in their respective countries in this vast and diverse region.
Brazil In order to diversify from the ever-
popular Rio de Janeiro and its surrounds, Brazil is promoting Jalapao in the state of Tocantins, in central- west Brazil, and Alter do Chao, in the Amazonian state of Para. Working with the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association, it is running online, social media and workshops for the travel trade in the UK and France throughout the year. Sitting between the Amazon and
Cerrado savannah, the state of Tocantins offers amazing outdoor adventure, with Jalapao known as the ‘Brazilian Atacama but with waterfalls’, combining soaring sand dunes with mountains, springs and dramatic rock formations. In the Amazon, there are also some new experiences being offered. The Brazilian Tourist Board’s UK country manager, Lilas Nascimento, says: “Alter do Chao is where the Amazon goes ‘Caribbean’ thanks to its river beaches and transparent waters. It is a cultural and natural destination that is very different from the Rio Negro and Anavilhanas Amazon.”
Chile According to Euromonitor statistics,
Chile saw Latin America’s largest growth in inbound arrivals between
autumn 2018 wtm insights 53
2012 and 2017, with an increase of 2.2 million visitors. With many heading south to Patagonia and the beautiful Torres del Paine National Park, numbers have to be carefully managed, so the tourist board is highlighting other areas of Patagonia with familiarisation trips for journalists and bloggers and new sales materials for tour operators. Turismo Chile project manager Romina Reyes explains: “There has been a growth in interest in the Carretera Austral – the scenic road that cuts through Patagonia for more than 1,000km – so we are particularly promoting the area of Aysen and Lago General Carrera, in the north of the
Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park – one of the country’s key attractions
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