Chile touts intergalactic ties with 'UFO trail'

0 Comments | AFP, August, 2008

SANTIAGO (AFP) — When it comes to attracting tourists to a remote region in central Chile, the town of San Clemente is aiming high -- playing up its reputed connection to visitors from outer space.

The Andean municipality, 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of Santiago, has opened the country's first UFO trail, a 30-kilometer (19-mile) long stretch that takes in a supposed landing site for flying saucers and optimal lookouts for extraterrestrial craft.

Sernatur, Chile's tourism service, is backing the initiative.

"We support the creation of this UFO trail because experts say that it is a 'hot zone' for watchers," the service's director, Oscar Santelices, told AFP.

However, just in case hordes of foreign tourists of the terrestrial variety turn up...