Chile's 2027 tourism budget has opened a clash between the government and the industry. In May, Economy Minister Daniel Mas promised on Radio Agricultura: "We are going to double the current funds for international tourism promotion". But the bill sent to Congress does not reflect that increase, as La Tercera and Ladevi reported this week.
Sernatur's Tourism Attraction Program, which funds promotion abroad, is allocated 6,995.9 million pesos for 2027, against a comparable 2026 base of 7,021.6 million. That is a real decrease of 0.4%. The amounts can still change during the legislative process.
The numbers in the 2027 tourism budget
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism Attraction Program, 2027 draft | CLP 6,995.9 million | Dipres, via Ladevi |
| Comparable 2026 base | CLP 7,021.6 million | Dipres, via Ladevi |
| Real change | −0.4% | Dipres, via Ladevi |
| Cut applied in 2026 versus 2025 | 30% | Fedetur |
| Annual international promotion spending today | about US$7 million | Fedetur |
| Spending before the pandemic (2019) | about US$12 million | Fedetur |
The Chilean Federation of Tourism Companies (Fedetur), which groups travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and airlines, estimates that international promotion has fallen 41% since 2019 before inflation. "This is the lowest amount of the last decade", the federation said.
The two figures should be read carefully because they measure different things. The 0.4% drop shown by the Budget Office compares the 2027 draft with the 2026 budget, which had already been cut. Fedetur's 41% compares current spending with 2019, before the pandemic, and is expressed in dollars. Both point the same way: the announcement to double the funds is not yet on paper.
How much neighboring countries invest
The industry's central argument is the regional comparison. According to figures provided by Fedetur, Chile invests far less than its direct competitors to attract tourists:
| Country | International promotion spending (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Brazil | US$50 million (last year) |
| Peru | US$45 million |
| Colombia | US$45 million |
| Chile | US$7 million |
"Chile is by far the country in the region that allocates the fewest resources to this", said Fedetur, which requested meetings with the minister and the undersecretary, and a hearing with the lawmakers reviewing the Economy budget item. "Without a sustained promotion strategy, we lose opportunities to generate income and jobs", it added.
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See advertising formatsWhat the government says about the 2027 tourism budget
Undersecretary of Tourism María Paz Lagos explained that the commitment is to "substantially increase the resources for international tourism promotion for 2027" and that the government is working in the budget debate to achieve it. "This is just beginning: there are more stages ahead and what matters will be the final result", she told La Tercera.
The government's own targets explain the pressure: recover the 2019 volume of foreign tourists, create 100,000 jobs and bring tourism to 4% of GDP by the end of its term. The context does not help: in the first half of 2026, 19.4% fewer foreign tourists arrived, as we explained in our story on foreign tourists in Chile in 2026.
The schedule in Congress
The First Joint Budget Subcommittee will review Item 07, for the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, which includes the Undersecretariat of Tourism, Sernatur and the Tourism Attraction Program. According to Ladevi, these are the sessions, broadcast by TV Senado:
| Date | Time | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, October 20 | 17:00 to 19:30 | Valparaíso |
| Thursday, October 22 | 11:00 to 14:00 and 15:00 to 18:30 | Santiago |
Regional associations have joined in. In Magallanes, tourism groups asked for the funds to be reviewed and increased, according to El Pingüino, and in Aysén hotel owners warned of a drop of nearly 7% in air connectivity, according to Diario Financiero.
What comes next in the process
The subcommittee is only the first stage. After voting on the item, the report goes to the Special Joint Budget Committee and then to the floors of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, where amounts can still be approved or rejected. The Constitution gives Congress 60 days from the moment the Executive submits the bill to pass it; if it does not, the government's proposal takes effect.
Lawmakers cannot increase spending on their own initiative: only the Executive can raise an item, through an amendment. That is why the October 20 and 22 debate matters: it is when the government can commit more resources to deliver what it announced. Sernatur's international promotion is used, among other things, for campaigns in source markets, presence at travel fairs, and press and tour-operator trips.
What changes for travelers
In the short term, nothing: the promotion budget does not change prices or entry requirements. Its effect is medium-term, on how many foreign tourists arrive and therefore on the supply of flights, hotels and tours in the regions. If you are planning a trip, our guides to how much it costs to travel to Chile and the new flight routes for summer 2026-2027 are still useful.
Frequently asked questions
How much money does tourism promotion get in the 2027 budget?
Sernatur's Tourism Attraction Program has 6,995.9 million pesos in the draft, 0.4% less in real terms than the comparable 2026 base.
Why is the tourism industry complaining?
Because the government had announced it would double international promotion funds and the draft does not reflect it. Fedetur says Chile invests about US$7 million, compared with US$45 million in Peru and Colombia.
When is it debated in Congress?
The joint subcommittee reviews the Economy item on Tuesday, October 20 in Valparaíso and Thursday, October 22 in Santiago.
