Francisca Labra
Marketing · Vivencias Travel
Denomination of origin, wine routes, seafood cooking and low-impact practices are no longer an extra: today they weigh on the choice of destination, for foreign and Chilean travellers alike.
For years, food and care for the environment were the complement to a trip: something that happened between one activity and the next. That order has been reversed. Today gastronomy and sustainability are two of the factors that decide the destination, and not only for foreign visitors: for Chilean travellers too.
From seeing a place to living it
The denomination of origin of local produce, the wine routes, seafood cooking and low-impact travel practices have moved to the centre of what different parts of the country offer.
For Marcelo Rollandi, founder of Vivencias Travel, the change is one of expectation, not fashion.
"Today's tourist does not only want to see a place. They want to live it through its food, its history and the way that community looks after its surroundings." — Marcelo Rollandi, founder of Vivencias Travel
Gastronomy, in his words, has become "a real gateway into local culture".
Colchagua, Casablanca and the seafood cooking of the south
Demand is concentrating on circuits that combine three things that used to be sold separately: wine, seafood cooking and direct contact with whoever produces the food.
"There is growing interest in routes that bring together wine, seafood cooking and direct contact with the people who produce the food. Valleys such as Colchagua and Casablanca are an example. Along with the southern zone and its seafood, they concentrate much of that demand today." — Marcelo Rollandi
European travellers arrive asking questions
Sustainability has stopped being a marketing message and become a list of concrete questions an operator has to be able to answer.
"The foreign tourist, and the European one in particular, arrives with high expectations around sustainability. They ask about the origin of the produce, about certifications, and about how waste is managed in each activity." — Marcelo Rollandi
That forces sustainability further back in the chain, into the design of the trip itself:
"We increasingly build sustainability criteria into our experiences. From choosing local suppliers to designing circuits, particularly those that seek to minimise environmental impact at every destination we visit." — Marcelo Rollandi
Chile's competitive advantage
The underlying reading is that Chile holds a card few countries in the region can play: a diversity of produce, climates and culinary traditions concentrated in a single territory.
"Chile has every condition to position itself as a benchmark gastronomic and sustainable destination in South America. We have a diversity of produce, climates and culinary traditions that few countries can offer within the same territory." — Marcelo Rollandi
"At Vivencias we build experiences that connect travellers with local producers, with the wine routes and with responsible travel practices, adding real value to every trip we design." — Marcelo Rollandi
Vivencias Travel is a tour operator founded in Bariloche with a presence in Chile, Brazil and Mexico, specialising in group and individual travel experiences. Its main focus is study trips, experiential travel, adventure activities, excursions and tailor-made programmes. It offers 24/7 support and professional guides with deep knowledge of Patagonia and international destinations.
