WTM London 2019: Chile looks to skies for out of this world visitors
Jennifer MorrisChile is seeing a growth in “astrotourism” ahead of the 2020 total solar eclipse.
The tourism board will be highlighting this at WTM London, along with the country’s off-the-beaten-track adventures and new sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives.
The solar eclipse will be most visible from Pucon, in the Araucania region in December next year, the tourism board said, with Chile’s dark skies making it one of the premier destinations for amateur and professional stargazers alike.
The eclipse coincides with the peak period of activity of the Geminid meteor shower, where observers have the chance to see 120 meteors per hour.
A Chilean National Tourist Board spokesperson said: “Visitors to Chile can also delve into deep space at the Alma observatory in the Atacama Desert, home to the largest radio telescope on earth.”
Meanwhile, six Santiago properties have joined the Zero Carbon Hotels project to neutralise their annual carbon footprint.
Four Accor hotels – Novotel Santiago Providencia, Pullman Santiago Vitacura, Novotel Santiago Las Condes and Pullman Santiago El Bosque – plus Plaza San Francisco hotel and the upcoming Hotel Santiago, have all committed to monitoring their electricity consumption, waste management, heating and other emissions.
It comes as responsible tourism-focused hotel group Selina arrives in Chile, introducing 16 new projects across the country.
Other Chile updates include planning for the Lollapalooza Music Festival in Santiago from 27-29 March 2020, which will be celebrating its 10th anniversary, while development of Chile’s Ruta de los Parques – Route of Parks – continues, spanning 1,500 miles between Hornopiren and the Beagle Channel.
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Jennifer Morris
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