News about tourism in Peru / T News

MACHU PICCHU CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
TO BE BROADCAST AROUND THE WORLD
ANDINA. Celebrations for the Year of Machu Picchu’s Centennial to the World will be broadcast around the world, said Ricardo Vega, president of the High Level Commission responsible for the organization of the event.

"The event will be broadcast worldwide. The signal will be available to all channels of Peru and the world,” Vega stated.

In addition, the main ceremony and other activities, which will be part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the scientific discovery of Machu Picchu, may be viewed online via satellite.

"We want an Australian, a Dutchman, an African and a Norwegian to be able to download the program and watch it. Our main interest is that Machu Picchu becomes more known, more visited, as it is one of the wonders of the world that has received less visitors in its history,” he told Canal N.

Vega said that for the main ceremony, scheduled for July 7, all the recommendations made by the Ministry of Culture are being followed in order to preserve the Inca citadel.

Foreign tourists in Machu Picchu. (Photo: ANDINA)

WILD PLANET ADVENTURES OFFERS
PERUVIAN AMAZON EXCURSIONS
ANDINA. From the end of August through October, wildlife specialist Wild Planet Adventures invites guests to indulge their wildlife viewing dreams on a back-to-back Peruvian Amazon and Galapagos Islands program.

Why this particular time frame? For starters, it's peak time for Peruvian Amazon wildlife with fireworks of sound and color from five species of macaws and 15 species of parrots and parakeets that congregate by the hundreds at the world's largest avian clay licks located deep in the coveted Reserved Zones of Tambopata and Manu Biosphere.

A Wild Planet Adventures exclusive offers the best chance to view wild jaguars in their natural setting as participants kayak downriver silently at the first sign of dawn, looking for elusive cats along the riverbanks.

Exceptionally high numbers of jaguars and tapirs have been seen as they visit the river to drink in the stillness of the morning.

"The Amazon Basin running down the eastern flank of Peru is the #1 region in the world for biodiversity," explains Wild Planet Adventures' director, Josh Cohen.

Cohen underscored that the Amazon's huge tracks of primary virgin rainforest and secondary forest and their resulting biodiversities provide a higher chance of encountering rare wildlife than in Costa Rica.

These include, for example, jaguars, Emperor tamarins (with moustaches), rare macaws, tapirs and eagles, among a known 200 species of mammals, 13 species of primates, and 1,000 species of birds.

Wild Planet Adventures offers two itinerary options in Peru, both of which also include visits to Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

The 13 day itinerary is priced from $4,698 per person, double occupancy; the nine day itinerary begins at $2,998 per person, double.

For travelers who wish to maximize their time in the region, Wild Planet Adventures recommends combining a Peru trip with an exploration of the nearby Galapagos Islands.

In Ecuador's Galapagos, August through October constitute several months of the garúa or dry season when harems of Galapagos sea lions are engaged in on-land birthing as colonies of bachelors cope nearby; in the highlands, 600-pound giant tortoises nest and lay eggs.

Cooler, dryer air and lower water temperatures prevail in these months creating ideal conditions for sea life and snorkeling. Manta ray congregate for plankton that arrives on colder currents, Galapagos penguins are friskier than usual while hammerhead sharks school in greater numbers. Most species of sea birds are active at their nesting sites providing prime viewing.

"The Galapagos is the world's premier wildlife viewing destination, not because of the biodiversity there, which is actually quite small, but rather because of how close you can get to the wildlife," said Cohen

The Amazon Basin running down the eastern flank of Peru is the #1
region in the world for biodiversity.

KATE MOSS: “PERU
CHANGED MY LIFE”
ANDINA. English supermodel Kate Moss, now also fashion designer, told the British press that her clothing line was completely inspired by Peru, “I felt that it was a very exotic land, very different from where I’ve been before.”

“I traveled with Mario Testino for the opening of his ‘Portraits’ exhibition at the Lima Art Museum. Mario was born in Peru, so he was the perfect person to go with!”

“We stayed in Peru just for five days… I felt that it was a very exotic land, very different from where I’ve been before. I was inspired by the trip and faraway places,” Infobae news reported.

The 37 year-old fashion icon said that thanks to such inspiration, she designed the Longchamp collection divided into three special lines, Faraway Exotic, Faraway on the road and Faraway Chic.

Supermodel Kate Moss.

CUSCO TO WELCOME BACK MACHU PICCHU
ARTIFACTS WITH SPECIAL CEREMONY
ANDINA. Peruvian authorities in the southeastern Cusco region will give a special welcome to hundreds of Inca artifacts returned by Yale University, nearly a century after they were taken from the famed citadel of Machu Picchu.

"Nearly 100 years after being kept in the US, these pieces deserve a grandiose welcome," Cusco's Governor Jorge Acurio Tito said to Andina.

Acurio said he will return to Cusco to meet with local authorities and finalize details for the ceremony which is expected to take place later this week.

The governor added that the over 360 objects will go on display in a manor house in Cusco called the Casa Concha starting the first week of May.

"We expect this exhibition to be a great success like the one held [at the Government Palace] in Lima," he said.

Peruvian President Alan Garcia hands out the Machu Picchu artifacts to
authorities from Cusco. (Photo: Sepres)

CUSCO TO PROMOTE ALTERNATIVE SITES
DURING MACHU PICCHU CENTENARY
ANDINA. Tourists arriving at Macchu Picchu this July will be invited to visit the 16 alternative sites included in the tourist ticket of Cusco's Committee on Tourist-Cultural Integrated Services (Cosituc).

The head of Cosituc, Orlando Olivera, said that the initiative was submitted to Cusco's Regional Office for Foreign Trade and Tourism in a bid to boost tourism during the centenary celebrations of the scientific discovery of Machu Picchu.

"We are suggesting the promotion of the beautiful attractions located in Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray," Olivera added.

"In addition to Machu Picchu, there are important Inca and pre-Inca sites in the provinces of Cusco, Urubamba and Quispicanchi," he continued.

The tourist ticket costs 130 soles (approx US$46) and includes admission to Qorikancha, Saqsayhuman, Q´engo, Puka Pukara, Tambomachay and other archaeological sites and museums.

Foreign tourists in Macchu Picchu. (Photo: ANDINA)

FLOW OF INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT PASSENGERS
IN PERU ROSE 13.56% IN JAN-FEB 2011
ANDINA. Air traffic in international flights totaled 940,410 passengers between January and February this year, an increase of 13.56 percent compared to the same period a year ago (828,135 passengers), Peru’s Transport and Communications Ministry (MTC) reported.

According to a report of the General Administration of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC), the number of passengers transported in February this year was 441,610 passengers, 12.90 percent more over the previous year (391,143 passengers).

Over the past ten ye ars, February numbers have shown an upward trend, except for 2010, when it saw a 1.47 percent drop.

The most popular destination in February 2011 included Santiago de Chile with 49,372 passengers (12.09 percent more over the same period in 2010) and Buenos Aires with 43,315 passengers (9.56 percent).

Also, Madrid with 42,370 passengers (28.82 percent) and Miami with 40,997 passengers (3.63 percent).

Jorge Chavez International Airport. (Photo: ANDINA)

VISITS TO MACHU PICCHU RISE
IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2011
ANDINA. Tourism Vice Minister Mara Seminario said that visits to Peru's top tourist attraction, Machu Picchu, increased by 33,000 in the first quarter of 2011 compared to the same period in 2009.

Seminario added that earnings from tourism activities also increased to 18.43 million soles (US$6.5 million) during the first three months of this year.

She underlined that the ministry is comparing these figures against those of 2009 because the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu was temporarily closed between January and April 2010 due to heavy rains and mudslides.

Seminario made the announcement after meeting with representatives of the Peruvian Association of Incoming Tour Operators (Apotur) and the Ministry of Culture, who unveiled the new online ticketing system for Machu Picchu.

"The implementation of the e-ticket system allows us to obtain timely and reliable information such as nationality, age and gender in order to create a visitor profile,” Seminario continued.

The official noted that this visitor profile is really important to design strategies for tourism development in the country.

Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Cusco. (Photo: ANDINA)

PERU'S ASTRID Y GASTON
RESTAURANT IN WORLD'S TOP 50
ANDINA. Astrid y Gaston, a top Peruvian restaurant run by chef Gaston Acurio, has been ranked 42th in S.Pellegrino's annual list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Organised by Restaurant magazine, the S.Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants list is an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of over 800 international restaurant industry experts.

Danish restaurant Noma was named as the world’s best restaurant. For the second consecutive year Rene Redzepi’s restaurant topped the voting in the annual awards – widely considered to be the ‘Oscars’ of the restaurant world.

William Drew, editor of Restaurant magazine, said: “This year showcases an exciting list of restaurants that span an even greater geographical spread than previous years and recognises the influence of fledgling culinary nations such as Peru and Russia.

Founded by Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Gaston Acurio, Astrid y Gaston has restaurants in Lima, Madrid, Bogota, Caracas, Panama, Quito, and Santiago de Chile.

Peruvian celebrity chef Gaston Acurio. (Photo: ANDINA)

JUDGES WILL COME TO PERU AND SEE RESTAURANTS
AS GOOD AS MINE, SAYS ACURIO
ANDINA. Renowned chef Gaston Acurio said that the inclusion of his restaurant “Astrid y Gaston” in S.Pellegrino's annual list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants will allow the judges who voted for his restaurant to visit Peru and see that there are restaurants as good as his.

“This opportunity means that the eyes of the people who chose the best restaurants will be on Peru and they will come and see that there are a lot of restaurants that do a similar or better job than mine,” said the Peruvian chef.

Acurio went on to say that “our culture, our products and our flavours will be on the eyes of the world”.

Acurio told Andina news agency that the responsibility that comes with this recognition is huge.

“To be on the list means that you can’t get out of it. We have to double the efforts, we have to keep going up positions, and that is very important for Peruvian cuisine and the people behind it.”

Astrid y Gaston was ranked 42th in S.Pellegrino's annual list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Mexican restaurants Bloko and Pujol and Brazil's D.O.M. are also in the list.

Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio. (Photo: Apega)

MISTURA SHORT DOCUMENTARY
WINS NEW AWARD IN THE U.S.
ANDINA. Once again, “Mistura. The power of food” was awarded as Best Short Documentary at the New York Los Angeles Film Festival, in the United States.

Director Patricia Perez told RPP that the announcement was published last Sunday, although she already knew that her work was the official winner.

Last month, the film was awarded as Best short foreign documentary at the 16th International Family Film Festival (IFFF) in Los Angeles.

Perez, who lives in the U.S. and is now working on a new project, said that the Culture Ministry sent her a congratulations letter signed by the Deputy Minister Bernardo Roca Rey.

Meanwhile, renowned Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio highlighted this new international recognition of the director and her documentary. "Mistura, the power of food wins again. It’s an honor”, posted Acurio on his Twitter account.

"Mistura. The power of food” director Patricia Perez. (Photo: Andina)

PERU’S RESTAURANT AND HOTEL SECTORS
LIKELY TO GROW 9.1% THIS YEAR
ANDINAPeru’s restaurant and hotel sectors will grow 9.1 percent in 2011 after increasing 7 percent in 2010 boosted by the good performance of the economy and the arrivals from international tourists, consulting firm Maximixe noted.

Maximixe also detailed that the international fame of Peruvian food is reflected in the fact that one of its restaurants is on the list of the world's 50 best restaurants for the first time, benefiting gastronomic tourism.

Furthermore, the consulting firm noted that the hotel and restaurant sectors grew 10.3 percent during the first quarter of 2011 after registering an inter-annual increase of 10.7 percent in March.

Maximixe noted that the restaurants demand would have been boosted by promotions made by companies and the increase of purchasing power, while the demand in the hotel sector would have been boosted by the growth of domestic tourism and more arrivals from international tourists.

Some 115,500 international tourists arrived to Peru in March, representing an increase of 23.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Luxury train service to Machu Picchu. (Foto: ANDINA)

PERU LAUNCHES NEW TOUR TO HUACA
PUCLLANA CEREMONIAL COMPLEX
ANDINA. A new tour to the Huaca Pucllana ceremonial complex, located in the district of Miraflores, was launched on a ceremony, chaired by Culture Minister Juan Ossio and the Mayor of this district Jorge Muñoz Wells.

The Huaca Pucllana ceremonial complex is a Pre-Incan temple complex which was used by both the Wari and Lima cultures from 500-800 ce.

The new tour of this on-site museum includes the huge pyramidal Temple located at the center of the complex, and seven levels or plazas, where priests used to receive offerings to the gods.

The plaza, located on the very top level of the pyramid, exhibits replicas of cloth, ceramics, needles and other items that were found buried in the complex.

The pyramid and walls of the administrative complex are an engineering marvel in themselves. The site was built using handmade mud bricks which were then dried in the sun. No molds were used in the making of bricks for the original construction.

In addition, the tour is a walkthrough of a small zoo area containing wild ducks, llamas and cuy (guinea pigs) as well as samples of native plant life and crops.

Moreover, there is a small museum on the site containing artifacts found during excavations of the site. It is estimated that it will take another 15 to 20 years to finish excavations and restorations to the site.

This site is definitely worth a visit if you are spending a little time in Lima.

Huaca Pucllana ceremonial complex in Miraflores. (Photo: ANDINA)

ECUADOR INVESTORS
PLANNING TO GO TO PERU
ANDINA. Ecuadorian investments in agro-export could go to Peru, after the end date (last February) for tariff benefits given by the United States was reached. These benefits were a part of the Andes Tariff Preference Law and Fight Against Drugs (ATPDEA).

Executive president of the Ecuadorian Exporters Federation (Fedexpor), Felipe Ribadeneira, said that despite being "to early" to affirm that interest, it's not out of sight.

"Investors look for rent-ability. If neighbour Governments give them conditions for that, it's likely that many will go there," he stated.

According to him, the migration of investments to Peru depends on the investment and production conditions to be able to warrant the same productive quality as in Ecuador, reported freshplaza.com.

POMAC FOREST EXPECTS OVER
18,000 VISITORS THIS YEAR
ANDINA. The Pomac Forest Historical Sanctuary, located in the northern Lambayeque region, expects to welcome this year more than 18,000 Peruvian and foreign tourists, the regional chief of the National Service of Protected Natural Areas by the State (Sernanp) announced.

Vicente Cortez said that a significant number of tourists visited the Sanctuary during the first quarter this year. “We hope to close the year with more than 18,000 visits, 2,000 more than in 2010.”

Cortez said that the recent rains in this area are expected to help the regeneration of the Pomac forest.

Nevertheless, it will take roughly 25 years for the forest to recover to its natural state.

According to Senarp regional chief, a new tourist infrastructure is expected to be inaugurated this year, which will attract many tourists.

Pomac Forest. (Photo: ANDINA)

Nota del Director: Esta información está disponible en el portal de noticias oficial de Perú, Andina, que contiene valiosa información en inglés. Es el único portal que permite el uso de sus noticias siempre que se consigne la fuente. Las noticias no han sido editadas por T News, solo facilitadas para que la industria turística puede compartirla con sus contactos internacionales. Muchas de ellas ya fueron publicadas en castellano. Es un resumen semanal. Sólo en este caso, T News tendrá especial cuidado que las noticias sean prioritariamente convenientes a la imagen del país como destino de turistas y nuevas inversiones.