Tour to Chile
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
SGSA Outbound tour to Chile
23/3/25 – 5/4/25
General
Members are invited to provide expressions of interest to participate in this tour.
It is anticipated that 1 or 2 tour member positions will be available to be filled from the SGSQ. I am the international tour coordinator for the SGSA, and have been involved in the preparation of the tour, so if you have any questions feel free to contact me at 0418 155 770
The details of this tour are set out in the attached spreadsheet. No budget price is available just yet, but I expect that once we have a “ballpark” estimate, deposits will be required at that stage, if not before. It doesn’t look like the tour will be terribly expensive unless the golf courses, and functions providers are unusually rapacious.
Tour Hotel
The hotel the Chile seniors have selected is the Marriott Santiago. Our hosts, the senior golf society of Chile known as Agosech, have organised a group booking, and the room rates negotiated with the Hotel seem very reasonable – US$177 per couple per night which includes breakfast, internet, access to the Gym, Jacuzzi and Pool (subject to Covid protocols) coffee maker, security box, iron and ironing board.
Arrangements have been made for golf bags to be stored through reception.
The rates are valid for the group 3 days before or 3 days after, subject to availability.
Members will appreciate that the system that international tours usually work on is that the touring country’s members reimburse the host country for the whole of the cost of their share of the tour and rely upon the host country to negotiate, arrange and pay for, the accommodation, games, transport and social events.
However, in this instance the procedure is different. Chile operates under a VAT/GST tax system called IVT which is charged at 19%. However, where a visitor from overseas directly pays a hotel bill the IVT is not payable. The requirements which I have been advised are applicable to debit and credit cards are described below –
Pay your final bill with US dollars, present your valid passport and immigration document, which is given by the Chilean police to all visitors who enter the country at the airport.
Accordingly, payment is to be made directly to the hotel and a link for payment will be sent to each tour member from the hotel.
The hotel at Santiago will be available from Saturday 22/3/25, although the opening tour event starts at 6 pm on Sunday 23/3/25, with the last event on the evening of Friday 4/4/25, and airport transfers planned for Saturday 5/4/25.
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/scldt-santiago-marriott-hotel/overview/
Partners
I have followed up a query about whether partners will be able to play at the various golf courses arranged for this tour. I set out below the material parts of the response that I have received-
In some clubs that we chose we have some difficulties in having a group larger than 12 non-members, but at least your partners will be able to play in 5 of the 8 clubs, depending on how many players there are.
The response is a little ambiguous, but as we are invited guests, I have not sought to resolve the finer points at this stage. Once more details are available, I expect that if any of the partners would like to play more golf than is officially on offer, we can organize that. I am aware that some of the partners in the incoming tour from Chile, which commences in October this year, are golfers, (although none have chosen to participate in the tour games) and may be able to assist in those enquiries.
General
My enquiries as to air travel indicate that LATAM offers return flights from Brisbane to Santiago and throughout South America at competitive rates.
Book Flights, Hotels and Car rentals | LATAM Airlines Australia
FYI I found this website which has some excellent information about travel in South America. It is basically an ad for luggage storage and while I have not used it, as tourists will be taking golf bags and probably taking the opportunity to see neighbouring countries, I thought it might be useful.
https://www.airkeep.me/en/store-luggage/santiago
There are also several specialist companies that will ship golf clubs from home to a location and back again. The following is an example provided by the Secretary (Peter Nimmo):
Action Required
It is suggested that those who are keen to go provide an expression of interest at this stage, noting we do not have a budget ballpark figure. The other states have already identified some potential tourists, so it would be appreciated if you would put your expression of interest in as soon as possible and no later than 30 August 2024.
If you are interested in being considered for this tour please contact the Secretary at pdn1954@outlook.com and also indicate whether you wish to go with a partner, and if your partner is interested in playing golf, and whether either of you requires a golf cart.
If we have more applicants than available positions the committee will communicate to the successful candidate/s as soon as it can.
8 August 2024
Don Fraser | President SGSQ
PROGRAMA AUSTRALIANOS – AGOSECH 2025