[News] Chile: In two weeks the trips of foreign tourists will resume

[FNX Magokiler]

On the day of announcements, the Government went to Initial Preparation in Santiago, opened the borders to visitors and allowed the operation of slot machines in gaming casinos.

Through a decree in the Official Gazette, the Government announced that from 00:00 hours on Monday 23 of this month the arrival of flights with tourists to the country will be authorized, something that was prohibited since March due to the pandemic.

The document indicates that by air only the Santiago airport will be authorized to receive travelers.

The measure was applauded by the union, which also requested that tourist arrivals by land be authorized soon, which is where 55% of visitors to Chile arrive.

"The announcement on the one hand gives us certainty regarding when the entry will be, which allows companies in the sector to reactivate reservations and operating plans to receive visitors who come, taking advantage of the high season. And on the other hand, it offers the certain possibility of starting the recovery of tourist activity, "said the president of Fedetur, Ricardo Margulis, who added that inbound tourism represents 35% of the foreign exchange generated by local activity.

The union urged the Ministry of Health to formalize the protocol, awaited since Monday and that the Government has not yet certified.

So far the portfolio has advanced that there will be no restrictions for any country, as other governments have done for sites where viral load is high. It will require foreigners to declare their origin, destination and if they have symptoms attributable to covid, in addition to entering with a PCR of less than 72 hours ago.

 

 

Likewise, tourists will have freedom of movement throughout the national territory, although the portfolio has indicated that they will be monitored through a mobile application that has not yet been presented.

This last mechanism has been questioned by the Medical Association, which insists that the traceability of cases continues to be a problem.

"We know that at first the number of visitors will be slow and gradual, but we trust that the health security measures that we have implemented as an industry will give tourists the confidence to motivate themselves and choose to travel to Chile," added Margulis.

More openings
Foreigners who arrive in two weeks will find a Metropolitan Region without quarantines and a Santiago, Las Condes, Independencia and San Bernardo in stage 4 of Initial Opening, as defined yesterday by the Minsal.

This will mean, among other aspects, that restaurants and cafes will be able to increase the capacity to serve inside. Cinemas and theaters may also operate, apart from the possibility of reopening schools.

Added to this is that since yesterday gaming casinos can open in communes that are in Preparation (phase 3) and the same 4.

In both stages, the 26 venues in the country will be able to operate only machines, which in stage 3 will work on terraces and in stage 4 indoors, but with distances of two meters between each one. For the 5th the opening of the tables will be authorized.

"The decrease in contagions allows us to enable new sectors of the economy," said the Minister of Economy, Lucas Palacios, in Viña del Mar, where he recalled that the casin industry generates 12 thousand direct jobs and 30 thousand indirect ones.

Viñamarina mayor Virginia Reginato thanked the measure, as she said that the Casino provides her with $ 2,000 million monthly in income to the municipality, which has stopped entering due to the pandemic. "It has affected us a lot," she said.

"For the regions that have casinos, these are true engines of economic development," added Eliseo García, operations manager of Enjoy, one of the firms in the business.