Chile boosts tourism meetings and secures French investment of up to $6 bn
Chile sent a 20‑company delegation to Fiexpo Latin America 2026 in San José, Costa Rica, showcasing its convention‑bureaus, hotels and event specialists as part of the Sernatur "Meet in Chile" strategy. The programme has already attracted 22 international congresses in 2024 and 26 in 2025, with 12 new proposals confirmed for 2026 and another 15 under review. Chile now ranks 39th worldwide for international congresses, fourth in South America, with cities such as Santiago, Valparaíso and Punta Arenas highlighted.
At the France‑Chile Business Summit 2026 in Santiago, officials announced that French companies will add at least US$6 billion of new private investment to the existing roughly US$2 billion already in Chile, targeting energy, infrastructure and mining projects. About 500 participants, including ministers and senior executives, discussed regulatory certainty, faster permits and public‑private collaboration. French banks BNP Paribas, Société Générale and Crédit Agricole were noted for supporting Chile’s sovereign bond issuances, including the 2019 green bond. The Chilean Environment Ministry reported approval of projects worth US$16 billion in its first 100 days, expected to create more than 46 000 jobs.