The municipality of Camarones, in Chile's Arica y Parinacota Region, is the only Chilean destination in the 2026 Top 100 good practice stories of Green Destinations, the Dutch foundation that recognises sustainable tourism stories. The winning story is titled "Where the Desert Is Inhabited: Esquiña and Illapata Prepare Rural Tourism that Takes Care of Water, the Community and Local Life" and was chosen from entries from 41 countries, Arica al Día reported on Sunday 8 November.
The certificate, signed by Green Destinations executive director Patricia Marull, is dated 28 October 2026. The story appears on the official Top 100 2026 list under Chile.
View the data as a table
| Countries that applied | 41 |
| Chilean destinations on the list | 1 |
| Times Camarones has made the Top 100 | 3 |
What Green Destinations recognised in Camarones
The entry tells how Esquiña and Illapata, two villages in the interior of the municipality, are preparing rural tourism that takes care of water, the community and local life. Camarones is a 100% rural municipality affected by isolation and depopulation, and the council works on the project with the Arica Siempre Activa programme, according to the report.
"We competed with 41 countries from around the world, and Chile won this recognition only through the Esquiña valley," said mayor Cristian Zavala Soto, who invited people from the region to visit. According to the council, it is the third time Camarones has received this distinction: the first was in 2022, with the story "Recovery of community heritage in northern Chile".
In 2022, El Mostrador reported that Camarones and Villa Cerro Castillo, in Aysén, had made that year's Top 100. The municipality has also started the process towards Green Destinations' sustainable destination certification, which measures environmental, sociocultural and economic criteria; there is no public information that it has obtained it yet.
Camarones and Latin America in the Green Destinations Top 100 2026
The 2026 list has seven stories from Brazil, two from Peru and one each from Bolivia, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. The competition is part of the Top 100 Partnership, with ITB Berlin, the Global Ecotourism Network and the Future of Tourism Coalition.
| Country | Stories in the 2026 Top 100 | Destinations |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 7 | Alter do Chão, Apodi, Bodoquena, RESEX Chico Mendes, Rota Combú, Serra da Bodoquena NP and Tamandaré |
| Peru | 2 | Tingo María National Park and Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve |
| Chile | 1 | Camarones (Esquiña and Illapata) |
| Bolivia | 1 | Bosque Porvenir Integrated Management Natural Area |
| Colombia | 1 | Puerto Mocho, Barrio Las Flores and Ecoparque Mallorquín (Barranquilla) |
| Mexico | 1 | Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve |
Source: Green Destinations, Top 100 2026, checked on 8 November 2026. Story Awards finalists will be announced at ITB Americas on Thursday 12 November; no Chilean destination appears in the nominee list published by the foundation.
What to see in Camarones, home of the Chinchorro
Camarones lies south of Arica and its valley runs from the foothills down to the sea. At the river mouth, in Caleta Camarones, is one of the three components of the UNESCO World Heritage site "Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture", inscribed in 2021, together with two sites in the city of Arica.
| Place | What it is | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Caleta Camarones | River mouth and component of the Chinchorro UNESCO site | History and archaeology |
| Camarones valley | Farming oasis between desert hills, climbing towards the foothills | Scenery and road trips |
| Esquiña and Illapata | Rural villages in the interior, protagonists of the winning story | Rural and community tourism |
Source: UNESCO, Arica al Día and Green Destinations. The council has not published prices or packages for the new rural tourism; check with the Municipality of Camarones before travelling.
- 2021World HeritageUNESCO lists the Chinchorro sites, including the Camarones river mouth.
- 2022First Top 100Together with Villa Cerro Castillo, in Aysén.
- 28 Oct 20262026 Top 100 certificateEsquiña and Illapata story.
- 12 Nov 2026Story Awards at ITB AmericasNo Chilean destinations among nominees.
How to get to Camarones from Arica
Camarones is explored by car from Arica, heading south on Route 5; Caleta Camarones and the valley make a good day trip. For the rest of the region, see our guides on things to do in Arica, Lauca National Park and Lake Chungará and Chile's Indigenous peoples.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Green Destinations Top 100?
An annual selection of sustainable tourism good practices by the Netherlands-based Green Destinations foundation, together with ITB Berlin and other organisations.
Which Chilean destinations are in the 2026 Top 100?
Only Camarones, in the Arica y Parinacota Region, with the rural tourism story of Esquiña and Illapata.
Where are the Chinchorro mummies?
The UNESCO sites are in the city of Arica and at the mouth of the Camarones River. The collections are displayed at the San Miguel de Azapa museum of the University of Tarapacá.
