In this article, we will look at the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe.
Overview of International Tourism Across the Globe
According to a report by the United Nations World Travel Organization, 2023 ended with an estimated number of 1.3 billion international arrivals, which is around 88% of pre-pandemic levels. International travel is anticipated to make a complete recovery by the end of 2024, primarily due to increased air connectivity and an increase in the recovery of Asian markets. International tourism receipts touched $1.4 trillion in 2023, which is about 93% of pre-pandemic statistics of $1.5 trillion in 2019. Similarly, total tourism export revenues came up to around $1.6 trillion in 2023, standing at 95% of pre-pandemic levels of $1.7 trillion in 2019. The economic contribution of tourism all across the globe is on the rise. Considered in tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP), the contribution stood at approximately $3.3 trillion in 2023, which makes up 3% of the global GDP. A strong recovery of international and domestic tourism is the primary reason behind these statistics.
However, the recovery is not spread evenly across the globe. The highest recovery is in Africa, which has retained more than 96% of its pre-pandemic visitors. The Americas, on the other hand, have managed to reach 90%. In fact, four subregions across the world exceeded their pre-pandemic international arrival levels, including Central America, Southern Mediterranean Europe, the Caribbean, and North Africa. By 2024, international tourism is anticipated to completely recover to pre-pandemic levels, even going for a 2% increase in 2019 levels.
Tourism Sector in South America
Tourism in South America is showing signs of positive growth, primarily due to increasing access to the internet across the region and growing accessibility to travel platforms. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the market size of the Latin American travel and tourism market stands at $52.18 billion as of 2024, and is expected to increase to $67.91 billion by 2029. This translates to a growth of CAGR of 5.41% between 2024 and 2029. A report by the United Nations World Travel Organization corroborates the steady recovery of the Americas, with the region reaching 86% of its rate of international arrivals in 2019 by the end of Q1 of 2024. In addition, foreign direct investment (FDI) waned in the region due to the pandemic, but is also showing promising signs of recovery. An increase of 185% was observed in registered investment projects between 2021 and 2022, accounting for a total of $192.6 billion.
In addition, FDI increased to $134 billion in 2021 with a 56% year-on-year increase. The United Nations World Travel Organization and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) also joined hands in January 2023 to promote tourism-related investment in Latin America and the Caribbean. The partnership covers tourism investment guide development for five countries in the region, including Ecuador, Barbados, El Salvador, Uruguay, and Panama. New international players, including Norwegian Airlines (FRA:NWC), have cropped up in the region. According to estimates by the United Nations World Travel Organization, Latin America is set to receive around 78.2 million tourists by 2027. This will lead to the generation of $82 billion for the region’s local economy. You can also look at 15 Most Populated Cities in South America.
Key Players in the South American Travel Sector
Despegar.com, Corp. (NYSE:DESP) and Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) are some of the most prominent travel services companies operating in South America. On June 4, Despegar.com, Corp. (NYSE:DESP) announced plans to form an exciting partnership with globally renowned artist Shakira as a part of its campaign Dream, Choose, Travel. The collaboration between the most prominent Latin American travel company and Shakira aims at promoting the “travel spirit of Latin Americans,” and connecting people through unforgettable experiences. Here is what Marcelo Grether, Chief Commercial Officer of Grupo Despegar had to say about the collaboration:
“We are proud to welcome Shakira to Despegar. Her Latin American roots, her enormous artistic influence, and her admirable innovative and global vision make her the perfect ambassador for our brand. Together, we look forward to inspiring more people to travel and live unforgettable experiences.”
Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) and Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) are set to use AI tools to enhance their travel planning services. The Penny AI assistant introduced by Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) on Priceline helps users streamline their booking process. Similarly, Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE)’s Romie Assistant not only offers recommendations within group chats but also generates seamless travel schedules for users. Both companies have incorporated conversational AI into their platforms to make travel booking more accessible.
Now that we have taken an overview of the South American travel sector, let’s look at the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe. You can also look at 16 Safe and Affordable Cities in South America for Expats and 12 Most Populated Countries in South America.
Gokhan Bozkaya/Shutterstock.com
Our Methodology
In order to compile a list of the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe, we conducted a consensus approach and a visitor survey through Reddit. Firstly, we consulted ten online travel expert resources to compile a list of the most beautiful and safest cities to visit in South America. Next, we looked at eight Reddit threads that asked commenters to mention the most beautiful and safest cities in South America that they had traveled to. We only chose threads that had more than 50 comments. We then counted the number of upvotes on comments across threads and chose the top 40 cities with the most number of upvotes. The 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe are arranged in ascending order of their number of upvotes on Reddit.
Note: This list is not exhaustive and does not reflect our opinion. The ranking is solely based on the opinions of mass consumers on Reddit.
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40 Best Places to Visit in South America That Are Beautiful and Safe
40. Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 107
Colonia del Sacramento is located in southwestern Uruguay and ranks 40th on our list of the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe. The city has 107 Reddit upvotes.
39. Pucón, Chile
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 108
Located in the Lake District of central Chile, Pucón ranks 39th on our list. The city has 108 upvotes on Reddit, and is famous for kayaking, hiking, white-water rafting, and other water sports.
38. Asunción, Paraguay
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 109
Asunción is the capital of the South American country of Paraguay. It ranks 38th on our list with 109 upvotes on Reddit.
37. Bucaramanga, Colombia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 110
Bucaramanga is the capital of Santander, and is located in north-central Colombia. The Colombian city ranks 37th on our list and has 110 upvotes on Reddit.
36. Punta del Este, Uruguay
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 110
Uruguay’s Punta del Este takes the 36th spot on our list. The seaside city is located on the Atlantic Coast in southeastern Uruguay.
35. Paramaribo, Suriname
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 111
Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname and is located on the banks of the Suriname River. It ranks 35th on our list.
34. Ushuaia, Argentina
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 112
Ushuaia is the capital of Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur Province in Argentina. With 112 upvotes on Reddit, it ranks 34th on our list.
33. Salvador, Brazil
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 113
Salvador takes the 33rd spot on our list of the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe. The city has 113 Reddit Upvotes.
32. Paraty, Brazil
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 113
Located between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Paraty is located on Brazil’s Costa Verde. Its cobbled streets and colonial architecture dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries make it a popular tourist destination in the country.
31. Puerto Ayora, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 114
Puerto Ayora is a town in central Galápagos on the southern shore of Santa Cruz Island in Ecuador. Santa Cruz is one of the only three inhabited islands in Galápagos.
30. Zipaquirá, Colombia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 115
Zipaquirá is a city in Central Colombia located northeast of Bogotá. Located in the department of Cundinamarca, it ranks 30th on our list.
29. Córdoba, Argentina
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 116
Córdoba ranks 29th on our list of the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe. It has 116 upvotes on Reddit.
28. Florianópolis, Brazil
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 117
Florianópolis is the capital of the Santa Catarina state of southern Brazil and is primarily made up of the 54 km-long Santa Catarina Island. The city is famous for its resorts, beaches, and water sports.
27. Ouro Preto, Brazil
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 118
Located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains in eastern Brazil, Ouro Preto ranks 27th on our list. Its cobbled streets, baroque architecture, and churches dating back to the 18th century make it a popular tourist spot in the region.
26. El Calafate, Argentina
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 118
El Calafate is an Argentinian city located in Patagonia on the edge of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the province of Santa Cruz. The city is primarily known as the gateway to the Los Glaciares National Park, which houses the massive Perito Moreno Glacier.
25. Valparaiso, Chile
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 119
Valparaiso ranks 25th on our list of the 40 best places to visit in South America that are beautiful and safe. The Chilean port city is considered safe by Reddit visitors, and one of the most beautiful destinations in the country with its colorful cliff-top houses.
24. Caracas, Venezuela
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 120
Caracas is the capital of Venezuela, and ranks 24th on our list. The city has 120 upvotes on Reddit.
23. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 121
The seaside city of Rio de Janeiro is one of the most popular and beautiful tourist destinations in Brazil. It is also considered safe by Reddit users in most of its locations, and ranks 23rd on our list.
22. Punta Arenas, Chile
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 122
The Chilean city of Punta Arenas is located on the Strait of Magellan, known for connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The city is usually considered a popular base for excursions to Antarctica and surrounding regions of wilderness.
21. Sucre, Bolivia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 122
Sucre is located in Bolivia’s southern highlands, and is also the capital of the city. It is considered safe by Reddit users who visited the city, and ranks on the 21st spot on our list.
20. Cuenca, Ecuador
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 123
Cuenca is located in the Andes Mountains in southern Ecuador. It ranks in the 20th position on our list with 123 Reddit upvotes.
19. Mendoza, Argentina
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 124
Mendoza is located in the Cuyo region of Argentina and is famous for its red wine. It ranks 19th on our list with 124 Reddit upvotes.
18. San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 125
Located high on top of the Andes mountains of northeastern Chile, San Pedro de Atacama has one of the most unique landscapes on Earth with salt flats, geysers, deserts, hot springs, and volcanoes. It ranks 18th on our list.
17. Salento, Colombia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 126
Colombia’s Salento ranks 17th on our list of the 40 best places in South America that are beautiful and safe. It has 126 Reddit upvotes.
16. Minca, Colombia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 126
Located on Colombia’s Caribbean Coast, Minca is covered with a lush mountainous jungle and hidden waterfalls. Some of its popular tourist destinations include Cascadas de Marinka, Pozo Azul, El Dorado Bird Reserve, Bodies of Water, and more.
15. Bariloche, Argentina
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 127
San Carlos de Bariloche, more commonly known as Bariloche, is located in the Patagonia region of Argentina. It ranks 15th on our list with 127 Reddit upvotes.
14. Montevideo, Uruguay
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 129
Montevideo is the capital of Uruguay, and is located along Montevideo Bay. The city is dotted with colonial artifacts and neoclassical architecture.
13. Arequipa, Peru
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 130
Also known as the legal capital of Peru, Arequipa is home to the Constitutional Court of Peru. The city is dotted with baroque architecture, 3 volcanoes, and a number of historical landmarks.
12. La Paz, Bolivia
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 131
Bolivia’s La Paz is famous for being the highest administrative capital in the world, located more than 3500 meters above sea level at the Andes’ Altiplano plateau. It also has the 6,438m-high snow-capped Mt. Illimani as its backdrop.
11. Quito, Ecuador
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 131
Quito is the capital of Ecuador, and is located at an altitude of 2,850 meters in the Andean foothills. It ranks 11th on our list.
10. Baños, Ecuador
Number of Reddit Upvotes: 132
Baños de Agua Santa is located in the Tungurahua province in Ecuador and is famous for being a gateway to the Amazon Basin. It also provides access to the active Tungurahua volcano, mesmerizing waterfalls, mineral-rich hot springs, and several other attractions.
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