Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Andina

Over 2,000 people will participate of the EcoAventura Peru 2009 marathon to be held tomorrow and the day after, and will have as scenario the native Andean forests of Pacobamba (Apurimac), reported Ricardo Castillo, president of KNK Producciones, company organizer of the event.

This event is taking place for the second time with the support of the district municipality of Pacobamba, the Regional Program Ecobona, the regional government of Apurimac and companies that have contributed with this activity.

“This event does not only have as objective to promote sports in the highlands, but it also has a message of the importance of taking care of the environment and in this case the preservation of the Andean forests,” he told Andina.

Likewise, he said that this activity has created great expectation among local population and other parts of the country interest in participating in the marathon that will test hundreds of athletes.

The athletes will have to beat all the obstacles of the difficult and rough circuit that begins in Llacctapata at 700 meters above sea level.

Registrations will take place at the facilities of the municipality of Pacobamba. For more information call the telephones numbers 083-324926 (Abancay) or 421-7958 (Lima).

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Isabel Guerra

Peru's protected areas generate more than US $150 million dollars in tourism revenues each year, and it is expected that this number could double during the next years if a responsible management of the ecosystem is encouraged, in order to give a better quality of life to local peoples, said the Environment Minister Antonio Brack.

"Tourism in protected areas produce US $150 millions annually, and this provides quality drinking water, electricity and other services for more than 2.5 million Peruvians,” said Brack, after a seminar organized by the United Nations Program for the Environment (UNEP).

He said that this tourism is increasing and that activities like bird watching are a good example of that in the route Chiclayo-Olmos-Yurimaguas.

“This tendency is likely to grow in the same direction,” said Garrido Lecca.

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Isabel Guerra

Peru´s Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry (Mincetur) reported today that Bolivia and Ecuador were the most-booked international destinations among Peruvian tourists in the Latin American Andean region, with a record of 151,377 and 75,937 tourists each, according to Enrique Garrido Lecca, a representative from Mincetur.

Garrido Lecca also said that this tendency is becoming more visible and continuous since 2004, and that Bolivia and Ecuador are followed by Colombia not only as the main Andean touristic destinations for Peruvian, but also as the Latin American countries that send more tourists to Peru.

“This tendency is likely to grow in the same direction,” said Garrido Lecca.

(Foto: Erik de León)

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Isabel Guerra

“Almost 30% of the tourists that arrive in Peru take part in activities of rural tourism,” said Roger Valencia, the Director of Auqui Mountain Spirit E.I.R.L., during his lecture in the tourism congress “Tourism Growth Based on Competition and Sustainability.”

During the congress, organized and held by the University of Sciences (UPC) in Lima, Valencia also said that the challenge that rural tourism presents is “to change the idea that 'someone else' can do what needs to be done.”

“The people do not lack the knowledge; what they lack is a market. So why don't we try to make a FTA with the communities?” asked Valencia.

Valencia also remarked that rural tourism projects must offer products that can sustain  themselves for a long time, and also should start offering products for all types of tourists.

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Isabel Guerra

Peruvian Deputy Minister of Tourism, Pablo López de Romaña, announced that the authorities are evaluating the possibility of starting night tours to Machu Picchu, which would come into effect sometime between next December and April 2010.

According to López de Romaña, the aim is to increase the visiting hours beyond 4:00 p.m.

"We are planning a new presentation of Machu Picchu, giving it a proper illumination. Tourists and visitors want to have a picture of the site. This has been a good year, and we think 2010 will be a better one", said López de Romaña.

According to a 2004 study made by INC-Cusco, the daily amount of tourists to Machu Picchu should not be more than 2,500 persons; however, a recent research indicated that there will be between 4,000 and 5,000 daily visitors in the following years.

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Isabel Guerra

Peru's Minister of Tourism (Mincetur), Martín Pérez, said today that the increasing arrival of Latin American tourists in Peru will compensate the decrease in the number of arrivals from USA, Europe and Asia.

"The arrival of more Brazilian, Chilean and other Latin American tourists has grown tremendously and this has offset the declining number of visitors coming from the U.S., Japan and Europe," he said.

The Minister also explained that Mincetur has been launching intensive promotional campaigns in different Latin American countries, and very especially in Chile.

"Chile is the main source of tourism to Peru, they visit generally Cusco, Arequipa and Lima as well as Tacna since the most of visitors enter via this city," added Pérez.

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Isabel Guerra

The Vice President of the National Geographic Society Global Media-Travel, Dawn Drew, revealed that a NatGeo production team is currently in Peru working in some videos, in order to divulge in the US the latest findings in the Sacred Valley.

She also said that NatGeo has printed a Peru map including valuable information about our country, and the copies will be handed it to the Peruvian government, to be used in promotion and education campaigns.

Dawn Drew also said that they are having talks with Peru's MINCETUR in order to make a TV series to divulge the latest discoveries, researches and studies taking place now in Cusco.

Their goal is to broadcast these programs before the centenary of Machu Picchu's discovery, in 2011.

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Isabel Guerra

Martín Pérez, Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) announced that his portfolio will invest S/. 84 million soles (S/. 28 million dollars) during 2010 in order to promote tourism in Peru.

Pérez also confirmed that there's a project to open an international airport in Pisco, “which would be a very good thing for the country,” he told CPN Radio.

The Minister also said that he is sure that Peru will be able to eradicate the terrorism in the VRAE region, and he invoked the Peruvians to welcome the tourists and take good care of them “because tourism always brings along progress.”

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Andina

Lima-Huancayo-Lima tourist train will offer 2 new departures in September, the month of Spring, Ferrocarril Central Andino (FCCA) reported Monday.

FCCA said that these departures are scheduled for September 11th and 25th.

The Head of Central Andean Railway’s Passengers Service, Lastenia Tagle, said that this is a good season in central highlands to travel in train through valleys of Rimac and Mantaro Rivers, and enjoy an extraordinary trip to appreciate tourist attractions and the beauty of landscapes.

Also, these trips coincide with celebrations for festivals such as Virgen de Cocharcas, Fair of Flowers and Ornamental Plants, among others.

Both departures will be from Desamparados Train Station in the Historic Center of Lima at 07:00 hours (12:00 GMT) to arrive to the heart of Huancayo in Junin region at 19:00 hours.

The return journey will be at 18:00 hours from Huancayo Station on September 13 thand 27th, respectively, to arrive to Lima at 06:30 hours on the following Monday.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

TACA Airlines will start direct flights between Lima (Peru) and Mexico City in November 2009.

These TACA flights will take place three times a week, served by an Airbus 319 that provides seating options for 120 passengers.

Taca Vice President Estuardo Ortiz said that this new flights, and others from El Salvador to other destinations as well, meet the needs of their clients of having more options in this airline.

He also said that not a direct flight between Lima and Mexico City not only is useful for business travelers, but also to connect to very important touristic destinations, both of them so rich in gastronomy, culture and business development.

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