The government announced on May 6 the formation of a public-private tourism investors’ roundtable, bringing together authorities and 24 private sector representatives to promote a new wave of investment in the tourism industry. The meeting was led by Daniel Mas, Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism and Mining, along with María Paz Lagos, Undersecretary of Tourism.
The goal is to accelerate growth in the sector, increase its contribution to the national gross domestic product (GDP), and generate approximately 100,000 new jobs. Currently, private tourism investment totals $409.7 million across 22 projects over $3 million each as of June 2025. Of these initiatives, 81% are under execution while 19% remain under study—a moderate recovery after a low point in 2024.
Tourism activity has shown clear signs of dynamism. In 2025 Chile recorded more than six million international arrivals—a year-on-year growth rate of nearly fifteen percent—surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The sector now generates about seven hundred thousand jobs or roughly eight percent of total employment and contributes close to three percent of national GDP.
Mas said that “it was a very productive meeting; we left with many ideas. We agreed to have another meeting during the second half of the year to advance the development of new investments that ultimately mean greater job creation in the tourism sector.”
Lagos said that “tourism is one of the sectors with greatest potential for growth for Chile. Today it represents about three percent of GDP but we have a concrete opportunity to move towards a second wave of investment that allows us to scale its development. Our objective is to increase its contribution by one percentage point and generate around one hundred thousand new formal jobs within four years. To achieve this, it is key to create enabling conditions that reduce uncertainty, speed up processes and allow projects to materialize throughout the country.”
During discussions at the Ministry’s Salón Blanco hall—including companies such as Huilo Huilo, Aerolíneas DAP, Hoteles Noi and others—private investors highlighted Chile’s diverse destinations and natural resources but agreed on improving regulatory processes and infrastructure in order to compete regionally for capital.
Participants identified critical gaps including permitting procedures and processing times, limited international promotion efforts, as well as infrastructure and connectivity constraints—all factors affecting realization of future projects.
The creation of this roundtable marks an initial step toward accelerating project execution timelines while providing greater certainty for investors—aiming ultimately at consolidating a second stage in Chilean tourism growth.
