The Peru Travel Mart 2024 has established itself as a fundamental event for promoting tourism in Peru and South America, highlighting the country’s cultural and natural wealth, as well as its hospitality towards visitors from around the world. During the meeting, Pablo García, second vice president of CANATUR, and Liliana Picasso, director of the same organization, shared their perspectives on the future of the tourism sector in the country.

The Peru Travel Mart 2024 not only showcased the wonders of Peru as a tourist destination but also provided a space for industry leaders to share their visions on the growth and future development of the industry. With optimistic projections and a renewed commitment, both Pablo García and Liliana Picasso expressed confidence that tourism in Peru will continue to grow and solidify as a fundamental pillar of the national economy.

Growth in Visitors: A Key Objective
Pablo García expressed his confidence in Peru’s ability to position itself as an attractive international destination. “Our goal is to recover and exceed the number of tourists we had before the pandemic in 2018 and 2019. Although we have been recovering, we still haven’t reached the same level as in 2019. However, expectations for 2025 are very optimistic,” he stated.

García highlighted that this year’s edition of Peru Travel Mart has been a resounding success, surpassing the number of buyers compared to the previous year. “We hope to reach, and if possible, exceed the 4.4 million tourists we had in 2019,” he remarked, emphasizing that beyond the volume, the profile of the tourists arriving in the country has also changed. “Now, visitors are staying longer and spending more money, seeking cultural and adventure experiences in Peru,” he explained.

Cultural Wealth as a Main Attraction
García also mentioned some of the main tourist attractions in the country, such as Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines. He highlighted that tourists who travel across oceans usually stay a minimum of ten days to adequately explore the diversity that Peru offers. “The profile of the tourist coming to Peru seeks culture, adventure, and nature,” he noted.

The Importance of the Private Sector and Investment in Infrastructure
On her part, Liliana Picasso emphasized the importance of the private sector in tourism development. “We are here to promote cultural, adventure, and gastronomic tourism. Peru has some of the best restaurants in the world,” she asserted. Picasso stressed the need for effective collaboration between the public and private sectors, highlighting that investment in infrastructure, connectivity, and security is required to boost tourism.

“We continuously work with the public sector. We meet regularly to move forward together and promote our region. United at a South American level, we can achieve many positive things,” Picasso concluded.