The Ministry of Health announced that the "Protected Borders Plan" in our country has been terminated. The measure, which came into force on 9 May 2023, was adopted after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the Public Health Emergency of International Importance (PHEIC) due to SARS-CoV2.
The sanitary resolution establishes that the request for the PCR test upon entering the country, the COVID-19 vaccination certificate, and the random testing of travelers, as established in the plan, is eliminated, so that Chile no longer has sanitary requirements for passengers arriving from abroad.
"This measure allows the industry to return to the long-awaited scenario of normality. Inbound tourism is in full reactivation, in fact, we expect 3.5 million foreign tourists to arrive in our country in 2023 and we hope that this announcement will give a new impetus to this process. This is a great opportunity to promote Chile as a unique and world-class destination," said the Undersecretary of Tourism, Verónica Pardo Lagos.
The authority added that "it is also important to thank the different guilds and associations of the tourism industry for their collaboration and work during the more than three years of international health emergency and for being relevant actors in the implementation of measures and the construction of agreements for their relaxation" and reiterated the call to exercise responsible tourism in all areas.
The Ministry of Health indicated that it is important to highlight that, although the epidemiological scenario in relation to COVID-19 is at a low level, the circulation of other respiratory viruses has advanced at the approach of winter. Therefore, it is important to keep vaccination up to date, both against COVID-19 and Influenza, as well as to maintain the self-care measures learned during the pandemic: frequent hand washing, ventilation of closed spaces and the use of masks when presenting respiratory symptoms.
About Chile
Chile is a country rich in diversity and contrast. It possesses a special geography that distinguishes it from other world destinations. One of its most unique features is having territory in three world regions: South America, Oceania, and Antarctica. Its continental length from north to south reaches over 4,300 kilometers in a narrow strip of land between the rugged Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Such a great expanse gives way to an array of privileged landscapes, beginning with the planet’s most arid desert, transitioning through a fertile central valley, down through a land of lakes and volcanoes and ending in the glaciers, fjords, and granite mountains of wild Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego – the farthest reaches of the continent. Reasons to discover Chile include: surprising natural wonders such as the Atacama, the driest desert in the world with more than 200 native flowers; culture and heritage with six UNESCO world heritage sites and firsthand experience with the Mapuche Culture; world-class sports and adventures - ski the Andes, surf in Pichilemu or go scuba diving in Easter Island; flavors and wine from the end of the world; astronomical tourism with the clearest skies in the Southern Hemisphere; vibrant city life in Santiago; health and wellness with 270+ thermal springs, wine therapy and treatments using local products such as olives or avocado; among many others. Visit www.chile.travel for more information.