Hydrotourism: more than 275 thousand visits had the tourist facilities associated with hydroelectric reservoirs in the south

In order to promote the tourist poles around hydroelectric reservoirs, three projects have been implemented in the south of the country: the Machicura Spa (Maule Region), the Angostura Park (Biobío Region) and the Lago Chapo Destination (Puerto Montt Region).
Adding the three places, in the summer season just passed – from December 2022 to March 2023 – they received around 276,000 visits.
This figure reflects in turn the recovery that the tourism sector is having. In a context of pandemic, considering the corresponding capacity and health protocols that existed at that time, the summer 2022 season brought together around 95,000 visits.
The projects carried out collaboratively, between the company Colbún and local actors, have been based on international experience in order to promote the feasibility of reconciling electricity generation with tourism development.
Angostura Park (communes of Santa Bárbara and Quilaco): 125,000 visitors
Developed in a participatory manner through a Tourism Board, this Park began operating in 2014.
It is located around the Angostura reservoir and includes beaches, campsites, trails, viewpoint, an arboretum, an energy tour, a visitor center and bird watching sector.
Balneario Machicura (commune of Colbún): 128,000 visitors
This project, materialized during 2018 from an alliance between the company and the Municipality of Colbún, seeks to provide a new recreational and tourist offer for the commune around the Machicura reservoir. It includes services such as a beach of 150 meters in length, barbecue areas, bathrooms, commercial premises, foodtrucks, playgrounds, and a pier for water sports.
Destination Lake Chapo (Commune of Cochamó): 23,000 visitors
Another initiative to support tourism led by Colbún is located in the Los Lagos Region, specifically in Lake Chapo, near which its Canutillar Central is located.
It should be noted that this is the only lake in the commune. In December 2022, the “Casa Lago Chapo” was inaugurated.
The initiative combines a cafeteria service, an information and tourism center, and information panels, with the exhibition of products made by entrepreneurs in the area.
This place complements a previous initiative that consisted of renovating signage and infrastructure of the coastal promenade and developing a fair of local enterprises in its sales modules.

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Original source in Spanish