Tourism Destination Competitiveness of Chile: A Stakeholder Perspective

Chile is increasingly becoming an important tourist destination market in South America. However, there has been limited research that considers the perspective of stakeholders involved in developing competitiveness for a tourist destination from an emerging market. The purpose of this research is to explore the main features and requirements of destination competitiveness, as well as the main drivers and inhibitors of the competitiveness of Chile as a tourist destination from a stakeholder perspective. A qualitative case study research involved in-depth, semi-structured personal interviews with key stakeholders of the tourism industry in Chile (both private and public sectors). The research findings identify specific competitiveness factors and the scope of influence of each in the development of a tourist destination in an emerging South American market. The findings of this study are useful for national government tourism boards, public policy-makers, local tourism businesses, travel intermediaries and the host community.