The popularity of whale watching in Argentina is said to be influencing other Latin American countries to follow suit.

Since 1988, when whale research and observation activities began in Chubut, travellers from across the world flocked to the South American country.

Environmental tourism has been profitable for Argentina, with visitors often also opting to visit the spectacular Galapagos Islands while holidaying there.

Now, neighbouring Chile is hoping to get in on the action, with a spokeswoman for the Centre for Cetacean Conservation saying plans are afoot to turn the whole of the country's coast into a whale sanctuary.

This week, the Chilean economy minister Hugo Lavados launched a Special Interests Tourism Cluster in north Chile.

"We want to promote tourism in Chile to foreign markets and to improve the different kinds of tourist activities and products we offer," he said at the unveiling.

"Thus, we expect to increase our tourism workforce and to generate synergy and solidarity within Chile's tourism industry."

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