Tourism Ministers from APEC member countries are coordinating policies to make the tourism industry more accessible, inclusive and sustainable.
Meeting in the town of Urubamba in Cusco’s Sacred Valley of the Incas, the ministers faced a changing tourism industry that included rising prices and inflationary pressures, extreme weather, labor shortages and infrastructure strained by pent-up demand. Their agenda focused on leveraging innovation and digital tools to facilitate the transition of informal stakeholders to the formal economy, optimizing resilient tourism and sustainable tourism supply chains, and reducing food loss and waste in APEC economies.
In her opening remarks at the 12th Ministers of Tourism Conference, Minister Elisabeth Galdo highlighted that more than 50% of Peru’s annual international tourists come from APEC countries. This year, Peru aims to increase the number of international tourists to 4.4 million from 2.5 million in 2023, and domestic tourism to 48 million. These targets are expected to create around 1.5 million jobs and increase tourism’s contribution to GDP to 4% in 2024.
“Tourists from the Asia-Pacific region visiting Peru account for more than 52% of total visitor numbers and represent a 50.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023,” Minister Gardo said. “This recovery represents almost 69% of pre-pandemic levels for the same period.”
Gardo explained that the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, 80 kilometers northwest of Cusco, are expected to attract nearly one million tourists in 2023, making Cusco one of the most important drivers of economic development in Peru.
“Moreover, the successful combination of protecting the site and increasing visitor numbers demonstrates Peru’s commitment to sustainable and innovative tourism development,” said Minister Galdo. “The efforts, including the planning and management of this important tourist site and the improvement of its dynamic capacity, will help safeguard the monuments of Machu Picchu and the surrounding community.”
“We know there is still a lot to learn and a lot to do,” she added. “Peru is eager to strengthen APEC’s efforts to adapt to the current situation and make tourism a sustainable, innovative and inclusive industry. We are ready to face the challenges ahead.”
In line with the overarching theme of “Empowerment, Inclusion and Growth,” Peru has made it a tourism priority to promote innovative approaches to address the sector’s current challenges. This includes formalizing businesses and promoting sustainability and resilience in order to realize the full economic potential of all people.
The conference emphasized leveraging digital technologies to improve efficiency, transparency and resilience in the tourism sector as they enable MSMEs to transition to the formal economy and gain market access.
“We must continue to cooperate, exchange ideas, identify best practices and develop joint strategies to promote the sustainable growth and competitiveness of the region’s tourism industry and leave a good legacy for future generations,” Minister Garde concluded.
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