One month before the official start of the summer season, the Los Ríos Region has a new lineup of options for travelers designed by business owners and entrepreneurs who participated in Fomento Los Ríos' Technology Dissemination Program (PDT). 
Valdivia was the city chosen to launch the Los Ríos 2023 Digital Catalog of Tourist Experiences , an initiative that includes the work carried out by businesspeople and entrepreneurs from Panguipulli, Futrono, Lago Ranco, and Río Bueno who participated in the Technology Diffusion Program (PDT).
The catalog was presented at the Dominga Bistró restaurant in the Phoenix Club, along with the results of the PDT (Test Project), which included the participation of 57 companies linked to the local tourism sector. The program was funded and supported by Fomento Los Ríos and implemented by the Pilares Consulting Firm, which also created the Ruténica portal, which allows online booking of tourism experience services along the Lakes and Volcanoes Scenic Route.
During the PDT, which included six technical workshops and a trip to San Martín de Los Andes (Argentina), marketing, commercialization, and costing experts trained participants in the design of innovative tourism experiences based on global trends in tourism development, using a practical and participatory approach.
"Today, in the tourism sector, it's key to generate value-added offerings that attract visitors looking not only for a special nature or heritage destination, but also for memorable experiences. That's why the types of programs we support at Fomento Los Ríos are so important, because they contribute to the generation of added value, enrich the local offering, and, most importantly, promote sustainability in the industry," said Pablo Diaz Barraza , director of Fomento Los Ríos.
“The PDT included in-person and virtual work, with participatory learning phases and experience design and prototyping processes. The workshops also covered value propositions and customer engagement, the science behind pricing, marketing strategies, and the design of high-value tourism experiences, among other topics,” explained Angélica Sepúlveda , Executive Director of Pilares.
Among the proposals designed by the entrepreneurs that are part of the Los Ríos 2023 Digital Catalog of Tourist Experiences are: Memories, Sensations and Nature (Turismo Jaos-Futrono); Magical Fishing in Lake Rupanco (Cabañas Rupanco-Puyehue); Walking the Water Route (Fortín Mapuche, Turismo Lemu Mahuida-Panguipulli); Huapi Island Scenic Tour (Cabañas Ayekantun-Futrono); Journey of Ancestral Knowledge and Flavors (Küme Yeal-Futrono); and Harvest Your Food (El Descanso del Quijote-Lago Ranco).
In the case of Magical Fishing , the experience invites tourists to start the day with breakfast in a Mapuche ruca, while the importance of water is explained through the eyes of the indigenous people. The adventure then involves immersing themselves in some of the unique corners of our region, connecting with nature, its flora, fauna, and majestic landscapes dominated by the presence of water.
“Passionate about tourism”
“The program and workshops were aimed at tourism enthusiasts and promoters of the beauty of southern Chile, who are always looking to create high-value tourism products. Thanks to experts in the field, they were able to acquire the skills and tools necessary to captivate their existing and new clients with carefully designed tourism products,” said Manuel Perrot , general coordinator of the PDT.
Regarding the above, the Regional Secretary of Economy, Development and Tourism of Los Ríos, Alejandra Vásquez Silva , emphasized that "We are very happy about this program because it is a co-construction of tourism experiences, where the focus is on people, and it provides tools to tourism entrepreneurs in our region. The development of this type of program, which provides concrete actions to strengthen the supply of this economic sector, is relevant since our region has defined that tourism is its vocation in the development model, hence the importance of promoting these strategies that also have a sustainable focus."
The designed experiences are now available for tourists to purchase on the Ruténica website. The workshops were led by Guillermo Nova (tourism marketing specialist); José Ignacio Sarmiento (commercial director of Tánica Hotels); José Luis Varela (hotel manager of Bellavista Puerto Varas); and Pablo Ramírez (specialist in tourism sustainability with courses in China, Japan, and Israel).