Dear Time Zone Database Maintainers, I am writing from Coyhaique, the capital city of the Aysén Region in Chile, regarding the recent adoption of UTC−03:00 in our region.
Currently, many operating systems, applications, and online services identify our location using the existing "America/Punta_Arenas" time zone. While this provides the correct UTC offset, Coyhaique and the Aysén Region do not appear as a selectable or identifiable location in many systems. This can create confusion for local users, organizations, businesses, and visitors who are attempting to verify or configure the correct local time. I would like to respectfully inquire whether the creation of a dedicated time zone identifier, such as "America/Coyhaique", could be considered for inclusion in the IANA Time Zone Database. I understand that new identifiers are generally created when there are historical differences or the possibility of future divergence in timekeeping rules. However, the Aysén Region now operates under UTC−03:00 and has a distinct regional identity and administrative significance that may justify separate representation within systems that rely on the IANA database. In addition, Coyhaique serves as one of the principal gateways to Chilean Patagonia and is the administrative, commercial, and logistical center of the Aysén Region. Every year, the city receives a significant number of domestic and international visitors who rely on digital systems to coordinate flights, accommodations, tours, transportation, and business activities. The absence of a specific identifier for Coyhaique in many operating systems and platforms may create uncertainty regarding the local time zone, particularly for visitors who are unfamiliar with the relationship between Aysén and the "America/Punta_Arenas" identifier. A dedicated reference to Coyhaique could improve clarity and user experience for travelers, businesses, service providers, and software systems operating within the region. If a new identifier is not currently considered necessary, I would greatly appreciate any clarification regarding the criteria that would need to be met for such consideration in the future. Thank you for your time and for the important work you do in maintaining this essential global resource. Kind regards, Víctor Alfonso Coyhaique, Aysén Región. Chile
