LIMA, April 22 (NNN-ANDINA) — Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Elizabeth Galdo affirmed that her administration will attempt to reach, again, the figure of 4.4 million foreign visitors to Peru every year.
“Tourism in our country has improved year after year. Holy Week has been quite good, and 3.2 million foreign tourists are projected to come in 2024. However, we hope and will make every effort to go beyond the envisaged target and reach 4.4 million, the pre-pandemic figure, which has not been regained yet,” Galdo remarked.
“My administration wants to regain said figure this year (…),” she added.
Elizabeth Galdo affirmed that the meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Peru —scheduled for this year— will contribute to the tourism industry.
“On the other hand, the relationship with Mexico is absolutely normal. Our Mexican brothers are not required a visa to visit our country,” she added.
On April 11, Minister Galdo reported that a total of 768,416 international tourists entered Peru during the first quarter of 2024, a 62.4% increase over the same period of the previous year.
This figure represented an additional flow of 295,000 tourists compared to the same period in 2023.
According to information provided by the National Superintendence of Migrations, the main issuing markets for international tourists to Peru were: Chile (218,307; +61.7%), the United States (124,478; +39.6%), Ecuador (63,923; +30.6%), Bolivia (45,701; +302.4%), Colombia (37,287; +30.8%), and Brazil (34,544; +130.9%).
More than 31,000 monuments and archaeological sites are part of Peru’s heritage, said the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, which is celebrated every year on April 18.
According to the government agency, a total of 27,060 archaeological sites built before pre-Hispanic times have been identified in all regions across the country.
In addition, Peru houses 4,323 monuments built after pre-Hispanic times, which have been declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation and are part of the country’s history and heritage.
The Ministry of Culture highlighted that among the outstanding pre-Hispanic archaeological sitesare: the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, Chavin Archaeological Site, Chan Chan Archaeological Complex, Caral Sacred City, Kuelap Archaeological Zone, Sican Archaeological Complex, Mateo Salado Archaeological Zone, Huacas del Sol y la Luna Archaeological Complex, Saywite Archaeological Complex, among others.
On the other hand, the Cathedral of Lima, Santa Teresa Church and Monastery in Cusco, Torre Tagle Palace, Real Felipe Castle, the Cathedral of Puno, Casona Monsante in Chachapoyas, Casona de Beaterio in Arequipa, Constitution Square in Huancayo, and Quinta de Presa in Lima’s Rimac district, stand out among the monuments built after pre-Hispanic times.
Regarding monuments, it should be noted that 1,255 are located in Lima, 462 in Arequipa, 442 in Ayacucho, 337 in La Libertad, 244 in Cusco, 234 in Cajamarca, 198 in Lambayeque, among others. Of the total monuments, 3,160 were built during the Viceregal era, 1,131 during the Republican era, and 32 during the Contemporary era. — NNN-ANDINA
