Chile has been officially ranked as the world’s greenest tourist destination.
For the third time in history, Chile was awarded as the Best Green Destination in the World in the 29th version of the World Travel Awards, also known as the “Oscars of Tourism”.
The award, which had previously been awarded to Chile in 2019 and 2020, recognises the existence and promotion of nature destinations, and the planning, development and promotion of responsible and sustainable tourism experiences.
Chile surpassed Peru, Ecuador, Madagascar and Norway in the category.
With the rise of experience tourism, added to the greater awareness of the damage caused to the planet by human intervention and unfriendly practices with the environment, this award highlights the value of initiatives to discover, enjoy and appreciate the ecological, aesthetic and ethical aspects of “green” forms of tourism.
“As a Government we are very happy with this recognition. This reaffirms our commitment to continue developing a green and sustainable tourism industry, promoting rural tourism and experiences that support local communities, that respect the diversity of flora and fauna and that work to preserve the natural heritage of our country,” said Verónica Kunze, Chile’s Undersecretary of Tourism.
For the Chilean Government, tourism development must be sustainable and must be based on the protection of natural resources.
For this reason, one of the lines of work of the Executive is the support for the certification and recertification of companies with the “Sello S” of Sernatur, a distinction in sustainable tourism that guarantees the visitor that tourist accommodation, tour operators and travel agencies comply with global criteria of tourism sustainability, in the socio-cultural, environmental and economic fields.
“Sustainability, today, is a real and concrete commitment in the country’s tourism strategy, so having been crowned the Best Green Destination in the World at the World Travel Awards is the result of this joint effort that we have carried out associatively in the sector. Chile not only stands out for its natural attributes, but also for the experience provided by a sustainable offer that has been consolidating for being inclusive, innovative and sustainable,” highlighted the national director of Sernatur, Beatriz Román.
The Best Green Destination in the World joins three other awards given to Chile in 2022, including the Best Destination, Best Romantic Destination and Best Adventure Tourism Destination, all in South America.
In total, there have been 27 awards given to Chile by the World Travel Awards since 2015.