It's just one direct international flight away, so why is the continent of South America so low on the list of Australian travellers?
Machu Picchu, Iguazu Falls, the Amazon rainforest - South America is home to some of the world's most celebrated manmade and natural wonders, yet Australians make up just 1.1 per cent of total arrivals to Chile, despite it being a shorter flight than to Los Angeles.
"With a flight time of less than 13 hours, passengers arrive on the same day they depart," points out Chris Ellis, Oceania Country Manager at LATAM Airlines. "Even when continuing on to other South American destinations like Rio, Lima, Cartagena or Buenos Aires, you'll be there in less time than it would take you to fly to Paris, Rome or other popular European destinations."
So what's stopping more Australian travellers from choosing Rio over Rome, Lima instead of LA? The continent's record of political instability no doubt plays a part, as well as the idea that it is more suited to intrepid backpackers. New visa requirements could also be involved: previously obtainable upon arrival, since mid-2020, Australian travellers to Chile are required to apply for an e-visa in advance, a comparatively expensive process costing $188.
Direct flights from Australia arrive at the gateway city of Santiago, Chile, with its exceptional museums and thriving food scene.
However, South America as a destination is slowly entering the collective consciousness of Australians as evidenced by the still small but record number of arrivals to Chile - nearly 105,000 people - across 2018 and 2019. Naturally, these numbers plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, but according to the Chilean Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, the projections for 2023 are already looking positive for welcoming back Aussies at a pre-pandemic level, if not greater.
Ellis says they are already seeing numbers of travellers increasing. "Post-COVID, there has been a tremendous demand for travel to South America. Initially, it was driven by individuals reuniting with their families after the borders reopened, but it quickly expanded to include leisure travel," he says.
Robyn Smith, director of South American tour company Movidas Journeys, agrees. "Over the last eight-10 months we've seen the return of travellers wanting to resume their plans to travel to Latin America or have added it to their list," Smith says.
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Direct flights from Australia arrive at the gateway city of Santiago, Chile, with its exceptional museums and thriving food scene.
Smith says she's currently seeing travellers express a keen interest in vineyard tourism, with many wineries within an easy day trip of the capital. "And Atacama and Patagonia or both seem to be on everyone's list this season," she says.
As well as the extraordinary Atacama Desert and the icy Patagonian wilderness, Chile offers the Europe-like Lake District, majestic fjords and a long, rugged coastline, while a short flight from Santiago are Argentina's glacier fields and vast pampas, Peru's Incan ruins, Bolivia's salt pans and the unique fauna of the Galapagos Islands.
Presently, Qantas operates direct flights from Sydney to Santiago four times per week and LATAM Airlines will add Melbourne to Santiago three times per week to their schedule from September, giving Australian travellers more opportunities to discover the continent's rich cultural heritage and extraordinary natural beauty.