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Peru wants to lure more tourists from Russia

9,000 Russian tourists visited Peru last year, says a representative of Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board
PERU ECONOMY GASTRONOMY TOURISM EPA/PAOLO AGUILAR
PERU ECONOMY GASTRONOMY TOURISM
© EPA/PAOLO AGUILAR

MOSCOW, March 19. /ITAR-TASS/. Peru seeks to attract more Russian tourists, who gained a reputation of intelligent and generous travellers, says Rosana Guinea, a representative of Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board, PromPeru.

Guinea is one of coordinators of Peru’s stand at the ongoing Moscow International Exhibition Travel & Tourism.

Peru had been taking part in Moscow’s exhibition since 2007, “although the country’s interest in Russia has always been great. This year our stand is widely represented, it includes nine travel companies and a network of hotels”, she said. 

“Russia is a priority country for our tour operators,” Guinea said, adding that last year almost 9,000 Russian tourists visited Peru. “Russia ranks tenth by the number of tourists arriving in the country in the Andes Mountains.”

However, she regretted that Peru’s tourism infrastructure had not met Russian tourists’ requirements so far.

“Thus, for instance, we have just two or three networks of high-class hotels. This direction should be developed,” she said, adding that Peru offered new lucrative programmes such as spa resorts, ecological tourism, cruises and exclusive flights onboard private planes. “Most popular is Peru’s south, where the world famous lost Inca city of Machu Picchu is located.”

Peruvian ambassador to Russia Gustavo Otero told Itar-Tass that the Russian market proved attractive for Peru and such exhibitions as Moscow International Exhibition Travel & Tourism “are very useful for establishing business contacts between the two countries’ representatives.”

The agreement cancelling visa rules for the two countries’ citizens signed in 2011 helped tourism promotion. “Now Russian and Peruvian tourists can easily visit our countries,” Otero said, describing Russian tourists as “intelligent and demonstrating interest in Peru’s culture.” 

Otero added that Peru and Russia were finalizing easier air traffic. In particular, Russia’s flag carrier Aeroflot conducts talks to open a direct air link with Peru. “Now technical details of such an agreement are being coordinated,” he said.