One of the world’s leading small tour operators, Explore Worldwide, has reported a record-breaking year for South America trips, with several destinations showing significant growth year-on-year.
Reporting on its current financial year, running from 1 November 2024, revenue for its South American excursions is up 28% year-on-year, with Chile driving the trend with an impressive 115% boost compared to this time last year.
Trips to Colombia have also shown significant revenue growth at 87%, followed by Bolivia at 65% and Argentina at 51%.
It comes as leading travel industry intelligence platform Skift revealed in its State of Travel Report that Latin America was the quickest regions to recover from the pandemic, reporting a 3% growth year-on-year from 2023 – 2025.
Experts believe the spike is down to a number of key factors, including rising demand for immersive travel experiences, favourable exchange rates, and enhanced product offerings.
Michael Edwards, Managing Director of Explore Worldwide, said: “It’s been a fantastic year for South America.
“From Colombia to Patagonia, we’re seeing travellers increasingly seeking immersive, active and meaningful adventures, and South America delivers on all fronts.
“Colombia being named Wanderlust’s Destination of the Year for 2025 has brought a lot of positive attention to the region.
“On top of that, the current exchange rate and political landscape have made North and Central America more expensive and potentially less appealing for British travellers, so naturally we’re seeing a definite shift in focus, with those who may have considered North America are now looking to Latin America instead.
“We’ve also had two very strong years for Asia, which is only now starting to feel the full post-COVID recovery.
“There’s a growing sense that this could be the start of a new era for Latin America – a region full of energy, diversity and potential.”
Explore’s new and upgraded itineraries have also been a key driving factor for the bookings spike, including an upgraded tour of Colombia, a shorter Peru highlights trip and an alternative Patagonia hiking tour in Chile, which ventures beyond the well-trodden W trek and includes a unique stay at a mountain refugio at the foot of the Cagliero glacier.
Michael added: “We’ve worked hard to evolve our product in the region and it’s brilliant to see that resonating with our customers and our travel trade partners alike.”
“With momentum building, we’re looking forward to what the next chapter brings for South America.”
