Cobquecura becomes a tourist interest zone along with eight extensions

The Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, through the Undersecretariat of Tourism, declared the commune of Cobquecura, in the Ñuble Region, as a new Zone of Tourist Interest (ZOIT). The decision was materialized through decree DEXE202600127, dated August 12, 2026, published in Section I (General Norms) of the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile No. 44,533, on Tuesday, August 25, 2026.

In the same edition, eight decrees were published extending eight other ZOITs until 2030, all signed by order of the President of the Republic by Minister Daniel Mas Valdés. These acts are based on agreement No. 6 of the Minutes of ordinary session No. 32 of the Tourism Ministers’ Committee, dated May 7, 2026, which unanimously approved the requests.

Regulatory Framework

The declaration is supported by Law No. 20,423, on the Institutional System for Tourism Development, and supreme decree No. 30 of 2016, which establishes the procedure for declaring Zones of Tourist Interest. According to Article 13 of the law, territories with special conditions for tourist attraction that require conservation and integrated planning to promote private sector investment may be declared ZOITs.

In the case of Cobquecura, the request was admitted for processing via exempt resolution RAEX202500267, dated October 27, 2025, and the Action Plan began with resolution RAEX202600005, dated January 12, 2026. Both the National Tourism Service and the Illustrious Municipality of Cobquecura issued the required reports.

The Eight Extensions

The extensions regularize the validity of zones declared in 2018 and 2022, extending them until 2030 with retroactive effect in accordance with Article 52 of Law No. 19,880. The renewed zones are:

• Olmué (Valparaíso Region), decree DEXE202600128, until June 9, 2030.
• Elqui Valley (Vicuña and Paihuano, Coquimbo), decree DEXE202600134, until July 22, 2030.
• Lake Rapel (Las Cabras, La Estrella, and Litueche, O’Higgins), decree DEXE202600129, until July 14, 2030.
• Panguipulli (Los Ríos), decree DEXE202600136, until July 14, 2030.
• San Fabián (Ñuble), decree DEXE202600137, until June 9, 2030.
• Lake Ranco-Futrono (Los Ríos), decree DEXE202600140, until July 15, 2030.
• Chelenko (Río Ibáñez and Chile Chico, Aysén), decree DEXE202600141, until July 14, 2030.
• Aysén Patagonia Queulat (Lago Verde and Cisnes, Aysén), decree DEXE202600142, until July 14, 2030.

Digitalization and Scope

The decrees order the publication of the official polygons and coordinates of each ZOIT in “SHP” or “KMZ” formats on the institutional website www.subturismo.gob.cl. The Sub-directorate of Development of the National Tourism Service applied standardized digitization criteria as set out in the document “Recommendations to improve the digitization and standardization of ZOIT Polygons” (March 2026), with technical adjustments to the vertices that do not modify the polygons.

The minutes of the Committee of Ministers specify that the ZOIT declaration is a planning and management tool to promote tourism development and focus resources, without conferring a special environmental protection status over the territory.

Impact for readers

With the incorporation of Cobquecura, Chile adds a new ZOIT on the coast of Ñuble, while the eight extensions ensure the continuity of tourism planning and private investment incentives in consolidated destinations in Coquimbo, Valparaíso, O’Higgins, Los Ríos, and Aysén. The extended validity until 2030 provides certainty to municipalities, operators, and sector entrepreneurs to develop infrastructure and tourism service projects over the next four years.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,533, August 25, 2026, Section I (General Norms), pgs. 1-3 (official references: CVE 2856410, 2856409, 2856407, 2856408, 2856406, 2856405, 2856404, 2856403, and 2856402).