From January to August 2026, 41,779 French tourists arrived in Chile, 6.3% more than in the same period of 2025 (39,305). It is the best figure for those eight months since 2019, and enough for France to once again be the second European country sending the most tourists to Chile, just ahead of Germany (41,491) and behind Spain (47,948), according to the foreign tourist arrivals data of Chile's Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur, compiled from Investigative Police records.
*Updated November 5, 2026, with the October 2026 release (data through August 2026).* Figures cover tourists of French nationality, exclude entries by sea and are preliminary from 2020 onward.
View the data as a table
| January to August 2026 | 41,779 |
| All of 2025 | 65,691 |
| Annual record (2018) | 87,197 |
French tourists in Chile by year
| Year | French tourists | % of all tourists | % of European tourists |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59,343 | 2.2% | 15.4% |
| 2012 | 60,220 | 1.7% | 16.4% |
| 2015 | 69,995 | 1.6% | 16.9% |
| 2016 | 77,129 | 1.4% | 17.2% |
| 2017 | 83,758 | 1.3% | 17.5% |
| 2018 | 87,197 | 1.5% | 17.5% |
| 2019 | 87,085 | 1.9% | 16.9% |
| 2020 | 24,090 | 2.2% | 17.3% |
| 2021 | 3,987 | 2.1% | 14.7% |
| 2022 | 34,076 | 1.7% | 15.8% |
| 2023 | 62,779 | 1.7% | 16.4% |
| 2024 | 66,900 | 1.3% | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 65,691 | 1.1% | 14.3% |
| 2026 (January to August) | 41,779 | 1.3% | 14.3% |
Source: Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur, "Cuadro por Nacionalidad" sheet. Percentages: Viajando Chile calculation. The annual record for French tourists is 2018, with 87,197, almost identical to 2019 (87,085). After the pandemic, the recovery stalled at around 66,000 arrivals a year: there were 65,691 in 2025, 1.8% fewer than in 2024 and 24.7% below the record.
The series for all countries is in foreign tourist arrivals in Chile by year.
French tourists in Chile in 2026, month by month
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| 2019 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10,511 | 7,880 | 8,371 |
| Feb | 10,152 | 7,692 | 8,375 |
| Mar | 9,049 | 6,097 | 7,139 |
| Apr | 7,125 | 4,888 | 4,743 |
| May | 4,537 | 3,285 | 3,656 |
| Jun | 3,641 | 2,465 | 2,403 |
| Jul | 5,216 | 3,416 | 3,663 |
| Aug | 5,268 | 3,582 | 3,429 |
| Sep | 3,899 | 3,202 | No data |
| Oct | 7,233 | 6,294 | No data |
| Nov | 10,399 | 8,424 | No data |
| Dec | 10,055 | 8,466 | No data |
| Month | 2019 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026/2025 change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10,511 | 7,880 | 8,371 | +6.2% |
| February | 10,152 | 7,692 | 8,375 | +8.9% |
| March | 9,049 | 6,097 | 7,139 | +17.1% |
| April | 7,125 | 4,888 | 4,743 | -3.0% |
| May | 4,537 | 3,285 | 3,656 | +11.3% |
| June | 3,641 | 2,465 | 2,403 | -2.5% |
| July | 5,216 | 3,416 | 3,663 | +7.2% |
| August | 5,268 | 3,582 | 3,429 | -4.3% |
| September | 3,899 | 3,202 | n/a | |
| October | 7,233 | 6,294 | n/a | |
| November | 10,399 | 8,424 | n/a | |
| December | 10,055 | 8,466 | n/a |
Source: Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur. n/a: not yet published. Changes: Viajando Chile calculation. The French season is the southern summer: almost six in ten arrive between November and March (58.7% in 2025). In 2025, November and December alone brought 16,890 arrivals, 26% of the year. The month with the most French tourists in the series is November 2018, with 11,493.
March 2026 grew the most (+17.1%). September, with 3,202 arrivals in 2025, is the quietest month. A comparison with other markets is in the months with the most foreign tourists in Chile.
France among the European tourists who visit Chile
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| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 77,987 | 80,690 | 81,281 | 86,681 | 18,920 | 7,036 | 41,832 | 63,054 | 75,052 | 80,821 |
| France | 77,129 | 83,758 | 87,197 | 87,085 | 24,090 | 3,987 | 34,076 | 62,779 | 66,900 | 65,691 |
| Germany | 73,854 | 78,262 | 80,394 | 82,541 | 24,578 | 4,044 | 32,217 | 60,052 | 66,599 | 68,405 |
| England | 51,611 | 54,714 | 57,988 | 59,311 | 17,170 | 1,694 | 23,817 | 46,343 | 53,942 | 56,748 |
| Italy | 41,523 | 46,131 | 47,117 | 45,430 | 9,827 | 2,178 | 18,382 | 33,608 | 42,225 | 45,307 |
| Netherlands | 19,410 | 20,542 | 22,497 | 22,696 | 6,363 | 994 | 11,161 | 19,102 | 20,578 | 20,853 |
| Switzerland | 19,859 | 21,073 | 21,475 | 21,136 | 5,955 | 1,086 | 8,274 | 15,918 | 17,506 | 16,797 |
| Country | 2019 | 2025 | January-August 2026 | Jan-Aug change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | 86,681 | 80,821 | 47,948 | +3.7% |
| France | 87,085 | 65,691 | 41,779 | +6.3% |
| Germany | 82,541 | 68,405 | 41,491 | +4.4% |
| England | 59,311 | 56,748 | 37,847 | +8.8% |
| Italy | 45,430 | 45,307 | 28,633 | +3.7% |
| Netherlands | 22,696 | 20,853 | 12,920 | +9.3% |
| Switzerland | 21,136 | 16,797 | 10,040 | +6.2% |
Source: Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur. The spreadsheet records England separately from Scotland and Wales. France was Chile's top European market in 2017, 2018 and 2019, ahead of Spain and Germany; it was second in 2024 and fell to third in 2025. Among the seven main European markets, it is also the furthest from its 2019 level: 24.6% below in 2025, against 6.8% for Spain and 4.3% for England.
View the data as a table
| Arrivals 2025 | |
|---|---|
| Spain | 80,821 |
| Germany | 68,405 |
| France | 65,691 |
| United Kingdom | 56,748 |
| Italy | 45,307 |
| Netherlands | 20,853 |
| Switzerland | 16,797 |
| Poland | 11,252 |
| Belgium | 11,066 |
| Russia | 10,722 |
| Sweden | 9,303 |
| Portugal | 8,570 |
| Austria | 6,981 |
| Ireland | 6,413 |
| Denmark | 5,224 |
| Norway | 4,949 |
| Türkiye | 4,410 |
| Romania | 2,953 |
| Finland | 2,550 |
| Greece | 2,125 |
| Ukraine | 2,113 |
| Slovakia | 1,900 |
| Hungary | 1,663 |
| Croatia | 1,211 |
Among all countries worldwide, France was Chile's ninth-largest source of tourists in 2025 and is tenth from January to August 2026, behind Australia and Uruguay. The rest of Europe is covered in European tourists in Chile by country.
Where French tourists enter Chile
| Point of entry | Region | French tourists in 2025 | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santiago airport | Metropolitana | 38,929 | 59.3% |
| Hito Cajón | Antofagasta | 4,571 | 7.0% |
| San Sebastián | Magallanes | 3,075 | 4.7% |
| Río Don Guillermo | Magallanes | 3,011 | 4.6% |
| Cristo Redentor | Valparaíso | 2,518 | 3.8% |
| Laurita Casas Viejas | Magallanes | 2,063 | 3.1% |
| Cardenal Samoré | Los Lagos | 1,735 | 2.6% |
| Jama | Antofagasta | 1,703 | 2.6% |
| Ollagüe | Antofagasta | 1,260 | 1.9% |
| Integración Austral (Monte Aymond) | Magallanes | 1,155 | 1.8% |
Source: Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur, "CONSULTA_DESAGREGADA" sheet (2025). Percentages: Viajando Chile calculation. Four in ten French visitors enter overland, a high share for a long-haul market: many combine Chile with Argentina or Bolivia on the same trip. Magallanes receives 10,463 entries (16%), through the crossings linking El Calafate and Ushuaia with Puerto Natales and Punta Arenas, and Antofagasta 7,603 (12%), mainly via Hito Cajón, the crossing used by tours from the Uyuni salt flat.
Those two destinations are what they seek most: Patagonia's Torres del Paine and the desert of San Pedro de Atacama. For a first trip, our guide to what to see in Chilean Patagonia sums up the essentials.
Frequently asked questions
How many French tourists visit Chile each year?
65,691 arrived in 2025, 1.1% of all foreign tourists. From January to August 2026, 41,779 arrived, 6.3% more than a year earlier. The annual record is 2018, with 87,197.
Do French citizens need a visa to travel to Chile?
No. French citizens can enter Chile as tourists without a visa for up to 90 days with a valid passport.
When do French tourists travel to Chile most?
Between November and March, the southern summer. In 2025, December (8,466) and November (8,424) were the months with the most arrivals.
Which European country sends the most tourists to Chile?
Spain: 80,821 in 2025 and 47,948 from January to August 2026. France ranks second in 2026, ahead of Germany.
How to cite this data
Viajando Chile (2026). *French tourists in Chile 2026: 41,779 arrivals through August, up 6.3%, as France overtakes Germany*. Based on data from Chile's Undersecretariat of Tourism and Sernatur. Available at: https://viajandochile.com/en/news/french-tourists-in-chile-statistics
