The ministry said the figure was the highest recorded since 2013. The number of visitors from long-haul markets increased by 13.9% compared with the same period in 2015, surpassing the 519,905 visitors recorded in the first half of 2019. The largest increases were recorded in Australia at 80.1%, Poland at 32.1%, China at 28%, the US at 11.5%, Canada at 10.8% and the UK at 10.6%.
Total Foreign Tourist Arrivals Reach 2.55 Million
Chile welcomed a total of 2,553,723 foreign tourists during the first half of 2026. The figure represented a 19.4% decline compared with the same period last year. The ministry said the decline was mainly driven by a decrease in arrivals from Argentina, particularly through land border crossings.
The ministry also highlighted that tourists from long-haul markets tend to spend more per trip than visitors from regional markets. Argentine visitors were estimated to spend an average of $299 per trip, compared with $1,385 for US tourists and $1,278 for European tourists.
