enhanced security and new features

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Ski Season 2011 in Chile: enhanced security and new features

While the northern hemisphere enjoys its summer season, it is winter in the southern land. Chile has recently opened its Ski Season 2011, which includes several measures for safeguarding visitors and new venues and features for ski fans to enjoy their vacations in Chile.

Knowing that there is a lot of people taking skiing vacations in Chile, the different winter resorts and other venues offering facilities for skiing, have worked hard on remodeling these facilities and expanding their ski tracks. New safety measures are being implemented in order to enhance the security of visitors.

By doing this, Chile expects to see up to a 20% of growth in the arrivals of foreign tourists during the 2011’s ski season in Chile. Last year, according to figures provided by the Chilean Secretary of Tourism, Jacqueline Plass, the ski season in Chile attracted a total of more than 22,000 foreign visitors. Most of these visitors were from Brazil (48%). They were followed by those coming from Europe (28%) and Argentina (12%). 35,500 Chileans also practiced ski the past winter season, along with the foreign visitors.

Among other initiatives, the newspaper El Mercurio mentioned the Hotel Tres Puntas is planning an extension of its infrastructure, and there will be two more lifts opening in Valle Nevado. Also in El Colorado, ramps for skiing and snowboarding were extended, and two miles of safety nets were installed. The restaurant Home Portillo was remodeled and now offers visitors a great panoramic view of the mountains in the Andes and the Inca Lagoon.

La Parva started this winter season the implementation of a new system: tickets can now be bought online. The cost of each ticket for this Chilean ski resort is about 70 USD each. La Parva also extended its ski area with a new lifeline which is 1655 meters long and was equipped with a triple chairlift and a carpet boarding.

“In 10 minutes, skiers can access a peak located at 3361 meters over sea level. With the new ski lift, the ski area of La Parva was extended by 30%, with five new tracks and a great area for those who practice freestyle skiing, “added Santiago Morning, one of the persons in charge of this skiing area.

At the same time, the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) and the Municipality of Barnet, – the territory in which the winter skiing resorts are located – will work together to transform the highway G-21, which connects Santiago with Farellones into a “road of high standards”.

Mayor Felipe Guevara announced that new safety measures and requirements would soon be enforced. These include a greater control of the ski lifts and the obligation to mark the domain suitable for the practice of winter sports.

New safety measures also include the mandatory use of helmets for children less than 12 years old, a device that attaches the board to the boots of those practicing snowboard and signaling to control the speed on the tracks.

In addition to the mentioned winter recreation and skiing centers close from Santiago, there is a lot more snow in Chile, extending from there all the way to the south central region (Nevados de Chillán) and the volcanoes of Villarrica, Llaima and Casablanca. At the southern end of the continent, Patagonia offers, in the city of Punta Arenas, the chance to ski while overlooking the Magellan Strait, which connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

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