Dear María Paz Lagos, as you assume leadership of Chile’s Undersecretariat of Tourism, how do your previous experiences influence the development of public policies aimed at strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of the national tourism sector?

Assuming the role of Undersecretary of Tourism is both an honor and a tremendous responsibility. I am familiar with this institution, having previously worked as a regional coordinator, which has given me a deep understanding that tourism requires an intersectoral, territorial, and public-private collaborative approach.

Under President Kast’s administration, we view tourism as a key sector for economic recovery, job creation, and regional development. This means strengthening its competitiveness, creating favorable conditions for investment, advancing sustainability, and, above all, working in close coordination with regional governments, municipalities, industry associations, and local communities.

Tourism cannot be viewed solely through the lens of the beauty of our destinations. It is a strategic economic activity that stimulates local economies, supports entrepreneurship, creates productive linkages, and generates tangible opportunities for people throughout the country.

For this reason, the Undersecretariat is focused on coordinating government efforts, aligning strategies with the private sector, and advancing public policies that enable tourism to grow under clear rules, with sustainability at its core and with tangible benefits for local communities.

Considering your professional background in public administration and territorial development, what key lessons have you learned that are now essential for promoting a more inclusive, decentralized tourism model that is aligned with the needs of local communities?

One of the most important lessons I have learned is that tourism is built from the territories themselves. Sustainable tourism development cannot exist unless regions, municipalities, local communities, and entrepreneurs play a leading role in the process.

That is why our administration has a very clear objective: to strengthen tourism development hubs in every region of the country. Chile’s sixteen regions each possess unique opportunities to grow through their identity, heritage, natural assets, gastronomy, and culture.

The role of the State is to create the enabling conditions for success, including improved connectivity, infrastructure, public safety, workforce training, destination promotion, and investment certainty. When these conditions are in place, tourism translates into better jobs, increased entrepreneurship, stronger local economic activity, and greater opportunities for Chileans across the country. 

Drawing on your experience, how do you plan to balance tourism-driven economic growth with the protection of Chile’s natural and cultural heritage, particularly in destinations experiencing high visitor pressure?

We believe in a holistic approach to sustainability, one that balances economic, social, and environmental priorities. Our focus is therefore on promoting responsible tourism growth that allows Chile to fully leverage its extraordinary potential while ensuring that development is guided by planning, data, clear standards, and respect for local communities and ecosystems.

Chile is home to exceptional destinations, many of which are also environmentally and culturally fragile. Our challenge is not simply to grow tourism, but to create the conditions for tourism development that is well-managed, orderly, and capable of delivering tangible benefits to local territories.

We seek to strengthen destination management models that incorporate monitoring systems, territorial planning, and enabling infrastructure, particularly in high-demand destinations such as Torres del Paine, San Pedro de Atacama, Rapa Nui, and our network of protected natural areas.

National parks are strategic assets for Chile. When managed effectively, they can enhance the visitor experience, attract sustainable investment, generate local employment, and contribute significantly to the conservation of our natural heritage.

In the context of tourism recovery and international growth, what role do you believe innovation and digitalization should play in positioning Chile as a competitive and attractive destination on the global stage?

Innovation and digitalization are essential to improving competitiveness. Today, tourism decisions must be driven by information and evidence rather than intuition alone.

For this reason, we are advancing the development of the Tourism Intelligence Center, an initiative that will transform data into practical tools for guiding promotion strategies, investment decisions, infrastructure planning, and destination management. We want to identify where demand is strongest, where gaps exist, and where public or private investment can generate the greatest economic and social returns.

A concrete example is *Pulso Turismo 2026*, a monitoring platform that consolidates key industry indicators and enables us to track variables such as visitor arrivals, employment, tourism expenditure, occupancy levels, connectivity, and traveler behavior in a more systematic manner. We firmly believe that better measurement leads to better management. If tourism is to be recognized as a strategic industry, decisions must be grounded in data, metrics, and evidence.

Technology also plays a critical role in supporting tourism SMEs, enhancing the visitor experience, anticipating market trends, and strengthening Chile’s competitive positioning in international markets. What cannot be measured cannot be effectively managed, and our goal is to ensure that Chile’s tourism policy becomes increasingly modern, professional, data-driven, and results-oriented.

In line with your development vision, what initiatives do you consider most important for promoting tourism in less-visited regions, thereby fostering a more equitable distribution of economic benefits throughout the country?

Chile has a tremendous opportunity in its lesser-known and less-visited regions. Many of these territories possess exceptional natural landscapes, cultural heritage, gastronomy, and unique local identities, yet they often require additional support to transform these assets into competitive tourism offerings.

Our approach is to advance the development of tourism growth hubs across all sixteen regions of Chile. This involves working closely with regional governments, municipalities, industry associations, and local communities to identify each region’s strengths, address existing gaps, and create the conditions necessary to attract both visitors and investment.

We want tourism to help decentralize opportunities across the country. Our goal is not simply to bring more visitors to more destinations, but to ensure that tourism generates employment, economic activity, and a stronger sense of local pride. Ultimately, we want travelers to leave Chile with memorable experiences and a strong desire to return again and again.

From your perspective, how can tourism become an effective tool for sustainable development, integrating social, economic, and environmental considerations into the sector’s strategic planning?

When managed effectively, tourism is one of the most powerful tools for sustainable development. It generates employment, strengthens small and medium-sized enterprises, stimulates local economies, highlights the identity of communities and regions, and can contribute significantly to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage.

However, achieving these outcomes requires careful planning. Sustainability cannot remain merely an aspiration or a slogan; it must be reflected in adequate infrastructure, visitor management systems, workforce training, business formalization, data-driven decision-making, and meaningful community participation.

Our vision is for tourism to generate economic growth while simultaneously improving quality of life for local communities and protecting the unique natural and cultural assets that define Chile.

Under your leadership, what specific measures will be implemented to strengthen workforce training and professional development within the tourism sector, raising the quality standards of services and visitor experiences?

Human capital is fundamental to tourism competitiveness. A visitor’s experience depends not only on the destination itself, but also on the quality of service, hospitality, accessibility of information, and the ability of tourism professionals to respond effectively to travelers’ needs.

For this reason, we are committed to strengthening training programs, professional development, language skills, hospitality standards, and service quality throughout the tourism value chain. We are currently reviewing these issues with tourism schools and educational institutions, particularly in relation to hospitality training and service standards. We are also collaborating with embassies and international partners to address the challenge of English-language proficiency, which is essential for enhancing the experience of international visitors.

At the same time, we must adapt to emerging trends such as the silver economy, accessible tourism, and increasingly personalized travel experiences. These developments require a workforce that is well-trained, adaptable, and capable of serving diverse traveler profiles and expectations.

We also believe that the tourism industry requires labor conditions that reflect its unique characteristics. Tourism is a strategic, employment-intensive, and highly territorial sector, which makes it essential to advance a serious discussion regarding improved working conditions for both employees and employers. For this reason, we are moving forward with the development of a Tourism Labor Statute, a key initiative that will provide greater certainty and support for businesses and workers across the sector.

We sincerely thank the Undersecretary of Tourism of Chile, María Paz Lagos Valdivieso, for her willingness, openness, and the depth of insight she has shared in this interview, where she presented a strategic vision for the present and future of Chilean tourism. Her reflections demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainable development, decentralization, innovation, and the creation of opportunities for local communities.

At the Tourism and Society Think Tank, we particularly value her collaborative approach and her commitment to a coordinated tourism governance model based on data, planning, and territorial participation. Our institution reaffirms its willingness to collaborate with the Undersecretariat of Tourism of Chile in promoting knowledge, applied research, and the exchange of international best practices that contribute to strengthening a more competitive, inclusive, and sustainable tourism sector for Chile and the wider region.