PromPeru Expects 50 Percent Rise In Brazilian Tourists In 2012

Peru’s tourism promotion agency, PromPeru, expectes to see a 50 percent jump in Brazilian tourists this year, state news agency Andina said.

Brazil, the world’s sixth largest economy, is Latin America’s regional powerhouse and is increasingly becoming a player on the world stage.

While Brazil’s clout increases abroad, it is also seeing a growing middle class that is able to take international holidays, including trips to Peru.

In the first nine months of 2011, 92,000 tourists from Brazil visited Peru, up from Read more…

Long Weekends in 2012 to Generate $800 Million in Tourism – Govt

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism said Peru’s long weekends in 2012 should generate $800 million in extra business in the tourism industry.

Peru’s government announced last week that in 2012 there will be eight long weekends, in an attempt to increase local tourism, state news agency Andina reported.  The long weekends —which include already existing national or bank holidays— are applicable to the public employee sector, although much of the private sector tends to follow suit.

Each long weekend is expected to generate an extra $100 million in tourism Read more…

Air Traffic Controllers Back to Work at Peru’s Airports

Peru’s air traffic controllers were back on the job Friday evening, following their union’s decision to lift the 72-hour strike only 24 hours after it began.

The head of the controllers union, Alberto Pimentel, said their decision was made to avoid the increasing backup of flights over the Christmas holidays, and agreed to wait until Monday to resume negotiations on salaries and benefits with the airport authority, Corpac, and the state business finance fund, Fonafe.

One of the agreements reached Friday afternoon was Corpac’s acceptance to cancel its decision to fire several controllers involved in a strike earlier this month.  There are 120 air traffic controllers for Lima’s international Jorge Chavez airport, and another 60 controllers for domestic airports nationwide.

Korean Air to Begin Flights to Peru

Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Jose Luis Silva said Thursday that Korean Air will begin operations to Peru next week, state news agency Andina reported.

Speaking at the CADE 2011 business conference in Cuzco, Silva said the initial flights will be between Lima and Seoul on a weekly basis.

“There will be three flights this month, leaving Lima the 8th, 15th and 22nd of December,” Silva said. Read more…

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One Million Tourists Visit Machu Picchu in 2011

The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, uncovered from overgrowth and obscurity 100 years ago by U.S. explorer Hiram Bingham, will have received at least one million tourists by the end of this year, according to Percy Canales, president of the National Chamber of Tourism, Canatur.

The number of visitors represents a 30 percent hike over last year — when 660,000 people visited the site— and is undoubtedly due in part to the mass Read more…

Rolling Stones Front Man Mick Jagger Arrives at Machu Picchu

British rock star Mick Jagger arrived at the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu on Thursday, as part of a trip to Peru that has included a sit-down with President Ollanta Humala and a visit to an eco-lodge in the jungle region of Madre de Dios.

The front man for the Rolling Stones, Jagger travelled to Machu Picchu by train from Cusco and was expected to climb Huayna Picchu, the picturesque peak that overlooks the ruins, on Friday, state news agency Andina reported.

Machu Picchu is Peru’s biggest tourism attraction, drawing in hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year.

Jagger arrived in Cusco Wednesday on a private jet, along with his family, from Read more…

Mick Jagger visits President Humala en route to Amazonian ecolodge

President Ollanta Humala welcomed British rock star Mick Jagger to the government palace Sunday,with the minister of Trade and Tourism, José Luis Silva.

The legendary Rolling Stones leader, Sir Michael Jagger arrived in Lima early Sunday on a private visit with his companion, designer L’Wren Scott, and his 12-year old son Lucas Maurice,  to travel later in the day to Puerto Maldonado to stay at an ecological reserve outside the jungle town. The reserve includes a canopy walk.

Following his brief visit to President Humala and his wife, Jagger visited the Rafael Larco museum and other sites.

Gov’t grounds Peruvian Airlines for 90 days due to safety issues

Peru’s government has grounded Peruvian Airlines for 90 days based on reports that the Lima-based company has insufficient safety measures.

The Ministry of Transport and Communication announced late Thursday that the airline’s flights would be suspended for 90 days.

“The main problem is that there is no safety management in the operations,” said Ramon Gamarra, the head of the Civil Aviation Office. Read more…

Cusco’s Casa Concha opens doors for Machu Picchu exhibition

Cusco’s Casa Concha, owned by the Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad de Cusco (UNSAAC), has opened its doors for two weeks to exhibit more than 360 artifacts from Machu Picchu that were recently returned by Yale University.

The artifacts will be displayed in two rooms in the Casa Concha, located about half a block from Cusco’s main plaza, state news agency Andina reported.

The opening was inaugurated by UNSAAC’s rector, Victor Raul Aguilar. In the first two hours of the opening, which is free for locals and tourists, the exhibition attracted about 100 visitors. Read more…

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