Peru’s Minister of Tourism and Foreign Trade recently explained why he believes Peru is an attractive travel destination, especially for American travelers.
Be it the award-winning gastronomy, opportunities for adventure or rich history and cultures, Peru has proven to be a top travel destination in the last few years, especially for American travelers.
In fact, over 641,000 American tourists visited Peru in 2018, claiming 14% of the 4.4. million international travelers who paid a visit last year. Compared to 2017, this was a seven percent increase in U.S. travelers.
Edgar Vasquez Vela, Peru’s minister of tourism and foreign trade, recently spoke with travel news site, Travel Pulse, about why be believes Peru is so appealing to this set of travelers from the northern hemisphere.
“Peru is now in a very good moment internationally for our image,” says Vela, who is also acting president of the directorate of PromPerú, the nations’s tourism promotion agency. He points to the stable economy and level of safety, as compared to other Latin American countries.
Not to mention, the adventure and gastronomical offerings are a mere 5-6 hour flight for many American tourists. As well, numerous connecting flights are offered, making Peru a stress-free destination to plan for.
And what did the minister have to say about the magnetism of Machu Picchu, the world’s best tourist attraction?
“It’s impossible not to take advantage of Machu Picchu…and it’s very important for us in order to put Peru on the minds of the people of the world. But Peru is an amazing country, a rich country,” says Vela, pointing to the diverse regions of Peru. The minister alluded to the fact that within Peru visitors are offered numerous travel options, whether they fancy to relax on beautiful beaches, traverse through the Amazon or hike up Andean mountains.
For 2019 the minister expects the total number of international tourists to only increase based on the numbers from 2018 as well as investments from American hotels and tourism operators. The behavior of American tourists in the past is promising to investors such as Hilton and Marriott hotels.
“Americans who arrive in Peru spend an average of $1,400, not including flights, and stay an average of 11 nights,” notes Vela. “[And] they are not just arriving in Lima and Cusco, they are going to Arequipa, Puno [and] La Libertad.”
Source: Travel Pulse
