Chile Tourism expressed concerns about those who come on tourist visas, but end up working in the country.
Our country is moving step by step towards the goal of 4 million foreign tourists by 2014. However, the quantity of tourists from Spain is decreasing. That was the comment from the assistant manager of Chile Tourism in Europe, Adrien Champagnat. "Government offices notice a significant increase in applications for long-stay visas. From this we concluded that the Spanish tourism has dropped despite what the numbers say, "He explained.
"The truth is that effective tour operators in Chile indicate a brutal decrease of Spanish tourists in Chile. In parallel, government offices noticed a significant increase in applications for long-stay visa. It concluded that the Spanish tourism has dropped despite what the numbers say, "added Champagnat.
In 2011 the Spanish market grew by 6.39% over the previous year, with 63,407 arrivals from Spain. This represents 2.06% of total arrivals in Chile, being the third-ranked country in terms of arrivals from Europe.
"Spain, along with France, England and Germany is one of Chile’s four priority markets within Europe," said Champagnat in an interview with Europa Press, adding that in recent months it has been detected an increase in the number of long stay visas in Chile.
He said the increase in visitors "must be taken with caution" because many tourists who come on a tourist visa to find work and once there, when they find it, regularize their situation and in government records are listed as tourists.