Chile opens to all travelers Oct 1

[SecretShopper]

Here's to hoping Argentina follows suit!

Chile reopens borders to visitors ahead of summer tourism season

Chile announced plans to reopen its borders to visitors on Wednesday in a bid to revive its ailing tourism industry ahead of the Southern Hemisphere summer and following a successful vaccination drive that has seen COVID-19 infections in the country plummet.

www.reuters.com

 

[FrankPintor]

Here's to hoping Argentina follows suit!

Chile reopens borders to visitors ahead of summer tourism season

Chile announced plans to reopen its borders to visitors on Wednesday in a bid to revive its ailing tourism industry ahead of the Southern Hemisphere summer and following a successful vaccination drive that has seen COVID-19 infections in the country plummet.

www.reuters.com

Not opening the door very wide to tourists, though:

"All people arriving in the country, both residents and tourists, must undergo five days of quarantine at a hotel or private home, [public health chief Paula Daza] added, where they will be checked on, asked to complete another PCR and complete a daily health report.

Daza warned visitors not to book their trip to Chile until their vaccination certificate was validated by the Chilean health ministry, which could take a month".

The Chilean tourist industry federation isn't impressed:

"The president of Fedetur, Ricardo Margulis, indicated 'that the Government decides to open the borders to foreign tourists with the obligation of being in quarantine for 5 days, despite having the complete vaccination scheme, is the same as having chosen to keep them closed'".

 

[SecretShopper]

I'm just hoping it sparks Argentina to do something

 

[FrankPintor]

I'm just hoping it sparks Argentina to do something

Sure, it's pretty clear it's coming. Apparently there's an actual target for it:

"[Carla Vizzotti] trusts that 'between September and October' Argentina can meet the goal of reaching at least 45% of the population with the complete vaccination program and 'depending on the vaccination coverage and the epidemiological situation of the other countries' it will be possible to speak 'of the gradual and careful opening of the borders'".

A week ago we were here: "In Argentina, 65% of the target population have been vaccinated with at least one dose and just over 35% have completed the cycle with the second dose".

So, 10% more 2nd doses to go, I got mine this week so we're getting closer. From https://www.hosteltur.com/lat/146414_argentina-el-turismo-extranjero-es-el-proximo-paso.html

 

[jblaze5779]

"gradual and careful" to the Argentina government is somewhere between glacial and tectonic pace.

I thought everything was already careful speed here.

 

[chrab]

Based on this forum, it sounds like mid October is a reasonable time, but we'll see. There's obviously been some political changes that might complicate any of these predictions. But hopefully we can get some discourse that isn't "try in a couple of years".