I Love Chile Weekly Magazine | Page 10

NATIONAL NEWS SHOWCASING CHILEAN CULTURE AT EXPO TURISMO SANTIAGO 2015 By ANNEMARIE LENNICKE SANTIAGO’S EXPO TURISMO SANTIAGO 2015 INVITES YOU TO ENJOY DELICIOUS FOOD, WINE TASTINGS, BIKE RIDES, LIVE MUSIC, AND DANCE TO NAME BUT A FEW ASPECTS OF CHILEAN CULTURE IN THE METROPOLITAN REGION. SANTIAGO — Last Thursday the 19th, the Expo Turismo Santiago 2015 began, promoting the best of the Metropolitan region’s tourism and gastronomy. Under the development of the Copa América, the Mayor of the Metropolitan region, Claudio Orrego, with the Undersecretary of Tourism, Javiera Montes and Felipe Vázquez, as the Director Metropolitano de Sernatur, inaugurated the Expo Turismo Santiago 2015. Even the president Michelle Bachelet was there to inaugurate the Expo Turismo Santiago 2015, located at the Plaza de la Constitución. It promotes different products and tourist sites in the Metropolitan region to make them known to the large number of tourists that come to the capital to follow the Copa América. President Bachelet went to 10 different stands at the Plaza de la Constitución accompanied by the Minister of Economy, Development and Tourism, Luis Felipe Céspedes, Undersecretary of Tourism, Javiera Montes, the Mayor of Metropolitano Claudio Orrego, the Mayor of Santiago, Carolina Toha, the National Director of Tourism, Omar Hernandez and the Regional Director of Tourism of Metropolitana, Felipe Vasquez, among other authorities. El Ministro de Economía, Fomento y Turismo, Luis Felipe Céspedes, acompaña a la presidenta Michelle Bachelet en el recorrido de la Expo Turismo. Foto/Victor Ruiz Caballero-Ministerio de EconomíaMinister 10 of Economy, Develpoment and Tourism, Luis Felipe Céspedes with the President Michelle Bachelet at the Expo Turismo. Foto/Victor Ruiz Caballero-Ministerio de Economía Javiera Montes said that “as part of the Copa América, arrivals of foreign tourists to our country have increased, especially from countries participating in the tournament, and this Expo Turismo Santiago aims to show these visitors the innovative and creativeness of the Metropolitan region.” According to Felipe Vasquez, the Expo Turismo Santiago 2015 “is an opportunity for foreign visitors and also for nationals to discover the charms and different products of the Metropolitan region. We want our visitors to enjoy our country and know more about it; everyone is welcome here.” Furthermore, a new project is planned that involves the construction of the first stage of the new Parque Metropolitano at Cerro Chena. 58 hectares are available to be used towards improving existing green areas and also creating new recreational areas for sports and exploration trails, responding to the concepts defined in the master plan of the entire Cerro. And why is this so important? This initiative will allow the implementation of a new green lung for