Over 1.4 million Visitors to Arrive at Chilean Ski Resorts This Year

Chilean ski resorts are anticipating welcoming more than 1.4 million visitors during the Southern Hemisphere's winter months, a 20 percent increase over last year, Deputy Tourism Secretary Javiera Montes announced.

Authorities calculate that the ski season will bring in more than $200 million in income for the Chilean economy.

This year, the snow started falling early in the Andes and this allowed the ski resorts to open their doors earlier than usual at the end of May.

"It's a very good season. It began in the expected way in comparison to other years and it will allow us to have an increase in arrivals, more jobs and more spending and currency contributions to our economy," said Montes at the official inauguration ceremony for the ski season, held at the Valle Nevado resort, located 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Santiago.

Tourism authorities project that this year about a million skiers will visit the resorts along with 400,000 non-skiers, with about 60 percent being Chileans, and some 60 percent of the remaining 40 percent being Brazilians.