General Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

CONGRESS VENUE
Sheraton Miramar Hotel & Convention Center

Please see the Venue page for more information.

LANGUAGE
The official language of the 49th ISPN Annual Meeting is English.

TIME ZONE
Daylight Saving Time starts on September 3, 2023, and will be in effect until April 7, 2024. The local time in Chile will be 3 hours behind the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-3) during the ISPN Meeting.

VISA REQUIREMENT
Please see the Visa Information page.

LIABILITY & INSURANCE
The Congress Secretariat and Organizers cannot accept liability for personal accidents or loss of or damage to the private property of participants. Upon registration, participants agree that neither the Organizing Committee nor the Congress Secretariat assumes any liability. Participants are advised to take out their own personal travel and health insurance for their trip.

SAFETY & SECURITY
Please do not leave bags or suitcases unattended at any time, whether inside or outside the session halls. Hotels strongly recommend that you use their safety deposit boxes for your valuables.

If you are a victim of crime, call the local police at 133. If you are injured and require immediate medical attention, call emergency medical services at 131.

CLIMATE
October is an enjoyable spring month in Viña del Mar, Chile. In October, the average high temperature is 18.8°C (65.8°F), and the average low temperature is 9.8°C (49.6°F). October is a dry month with an average of 25mm (1.0 inches) of rain.

In October, the average sea temperature is 13.7°C (56.7°F). Note that at temperatures below 10°C (50°F), swimming in a suitably protected swimsuit is feasible; otherwise, cold shock and loss of breathing control are imminent. Even a short swim, without thermal protection, at temperatures around 13°C (55.4°F) is not comfortable.

CLOTHING
The dress code for ISPN 2023 is business formal for all occasions unless stated otherwise.

ELECTRICITY
In Chile there are two associated plug types, types C and L. Chile operates on a 220V supply voltage and 50Hz.

CURRENCY & EXCHANGE
The legal currency of Chile is the Chilean peso. Currently there are coins of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 pesos and banknotes of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000.

The easiest way to obtain cash is by using ATMs, which operate under the "Redbank" sign. These cashpoint machines take Cirrus, Visa, and MasterCard and permit transactions up to 250.- US Dollars. However, they are only available in major cities.

MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Diners Club cards are sporadically accepted throughout the country, though visitors should not count on being able to use their credit card in rural areas. Shop owners will sometimes charge more for purchases made with a credit card.

Unlike some other South American countries, US dollars are rarely accepted in Chile except in some hotels. Therefore, we recommend you have some pesos in cash. The government does not regulate the market of foreign currency in Chile. You can exchange money at any established "Casa de Cambio" at market-driven exchange rates. They are common in commercial areas as well as in shopping malls. Please note 100 US Dollar bills are not usually accepted due to past problems with counterfeiting.

TAX
VAT is payable on the transfer of goods and the provision of services at a 19% rate. Foreigners are exempt from paying local sales tax (19%) IVA if they pay in US dollars in Chile. However, it is usually only some hotels that accept US dollars.

TIPPING
Tipping is discretionary in Chile and is seen as a reward for good service. Tips should be in Chilean pesos. If you do leave tips in US dollars – bills only – in a hotel, make sure the bills are unmarked and undamaged.
10% is the average restaurant tip. Cab drivers do not expect to be tipped, but they appreciate the fare being rounded off.