Chile competes in eight world categories of the 2026 World Travel Awards: the country as World's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, Cruise Destination, Green Destination and Nature Destination; Santiago as Leading City Destination; Pucón as Leading Regional Adventure Tourism Destination; the Atacama Desert as Most Romantic Destination; and Sernatur as Leading Tourist Board. Winners will be announced at the grand final on December 12 in Tanzania, according to Sernatur.
The nominations come after Chile won four awards in the South American stage in October, which we covered in Chile's World Travel Awards wins. In 2025, Chile was again named World's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, according to Sernatur.
Chile's eight nominations at the 2026 World Travel Awards
| World category (official names may vary) | Nominee |
|---|---|
| World's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination | Chile |
| World's Leading Cruise Destination | Chile |
| World's Leading Green Destination | Chile |
| World's Leading Nature Destination | Chile |
| World's Leading City Destination | Santiago |
| World's Leading Regional Adventure Tourism Destination | Pucón |
| World's Most Romantic Destination | Atacama Desert |
| World's Leading Tourist Board | Sernatur |
Source: Sernatur, October 29, 2026 (category names translated from Sernatur's Spanish release). The World Travel Awards are private awards decided by votes from travel professionals and the public, in regional stages and a world final; they are not a statistical ranking.
How to vote for Chile and until when
You can vote at chileestuyo.cl/votaxchile or on the official platform, worldtravelawards.com, in each of the eight categories.
| Item | What each source says |
|---|---|
| Deadline per the release on Sernatur's website | Until Monday, November 9 |
| Deadline per Radio Agricultura and BioBioChile (Oct 29) | Until Friday, October 30 |
| World final | December 12, 2026, in Tanzania (Sernatur) |
The sources disagree: Sernatur's release published on October 29 says, in its version online on October 30, that voting is open until November 9, while Radio Agricultura and BioBioChile reported it closed this Friday, October 30. We could not confirm it on the World Travel Awards website. If you want to vote, do it today.
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See advertising optionsWhat Sernatur and the Undersecretariat of Tourism said
Undersecretary of Tourism María Paz Lagos said that "Chile has all the attributes to establish itself as a world tourism power" and that the awards "motivate us to keep working to position Chile internationally". Sernatur's national director, Cristóbal Benítez, said the eight nominations "show the diversity of our offering, from nature and adventure to our cities".
The World Travel Awards nominees and how to visit them
| Nominee | Why it stands out | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Pucón | Villarrica volcano, lakes, hot springs and adventure sports | Things to do in Pucón |
| Atacama Desert | Valle de la Luna, geysers, high-altitude lagoons and dark skies | Things to do in Atacama |
| Santiago | Neighborhoods, museums, the Andes an hour away and nearby vineyards | Things to do in Santiago |
| Chile, cruises | Valparaíso, Puerto Montt, fjords and Cape Horn | Valparaíso cruise season |
| Chile, nature and adventure | Torres del Paine, the Carretera Austral and volcanoes | Trekking in Torres del Paine |
The awards add to other recent lists, such as Cape Froward's inclusion in National Geographic's list, which we covered in Cape Froward in Best of the World 2027, and Chile's place in the WEF tourism index, which is a data-based ranking.
Frequently asked questions
In how many categories does Chile compete at the 2026 World Travel Awards?
In eight world categories: four as a country and four more with Santiago, Pucón, the Atacama Desert and Sernatur.
When will the winners be announced?
At the grand final on December 12, 2026, in Tanzania, according to Sernatur.
How do you vote for Chile?
At chileestuyo.cl/votaxchile or worldtravelawards.com. Sources differ on the closing date (October 30 or November 9).
Has Chile won before as an adventure destination?
Yes. In 2025 it was again named World's Leading Adventure Tourism Destination, according to Sernatur.
