Chile’s Port System Unfit for Booming Cruise Industry

With more than 400,000 tourists passing through Chile’s ports in 2007 and an expected 12 percent growth this year, there is no doubt that cruise trips are gaining popularity in South America. Chile, along with Brazil and Argentina (the ABC triangle) is one of the leading providers of cruises through the southern tip of South America.

But while the growth in cruiser tourism is great for the local economy, Chile’s ports are not prepared to accommodate the large numbers of tourists.

Many ports across the world boast terminals with amenities similar to those of an airport, while Chilean ports are smaller and lacking many of the services that facilitate the cruise process and that many tourists find appealing.

Part of the problem is that the short cruise season does not give much incentive for further investment into the improvement of Chile’s ports. In addition, there is friction between the cruise companies and the ports when it comes to coordinating the arrival and departure of the ships.