Peru tourist numbers to increase 14 percent in 2012

LIMA, Peru – The Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL) said on Thursday that it expected the number of tourists visiting Peru to rise between 12 and 14 percent in 2012, as a result of more visitors from Latin American countries and increased public investment in tourism infrastructure, which would total US$450 million by 2016.

Alvaro Benavides, head of the CCL’s Tourism Committee, said that Peru has a great opportunity to attract more tourists after posting a 9 percent increase in visitor arrivals last year, according to the World Tourism Organization (WHO).

“All projections show a growth between 12 and 14 percent this year and we hope that will happen. Latin America would be Peru’s major source of tourists, unlike the United States and Europe, which would be affected by the crisis,” Benavides stated.

In this context, he stressed the need to promote tourist arrivals from nations in the region in the midst of a global economic crisis.

Moreover, Benavides highlighted that some nations in the region such as Colombia and Chile are very interesting as they have been growing steadily; meanwhile Brazil is the sixth largest economy in the world.