Here’s why Peru is the perfect post-travel-ban destination for your clients

The Sacred Valley of the Incas or Urubamba Valley is a valley in the Andes  of Peru, close to the Inca  capital of Cusco and below the ancient sacred city of Machu Picchu. The valley is generally understood  to include everything between Pisac  and Ollantaytambo, parallel to the Urubamba River, or Vilcanota  River or Wilcamayu, as this Sacred river is called when passing through the valley. It is fed by  numerous rivers which descend through adjoining valleys and gorges, and contains numerous  archaeological remains and villages. The valley was appreciated by the Incas due to its special  geographical and climatic qualities. It was one of the empire's main points for the extraction of  natural wealth, and the best place for maize production in Peru.http://bem.2be.pl/IS/peru_380.jpg

We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but day three of our first-ever virtual Travel DAZE had a pretty stellar line-up.

In between an inspiring chat with Accor’s CEO Sébastien Bazin and Tourism New Zealand’s René de Monchy and Air New Zealand’s Kathryn Robertson chatting all things trans-Tasman travel, we heard from Peru’s trade commissioner to Australia Mario Vargas and Intrepid’s managing director for APAC, Sarah Clark.

Vargas and Clark tackled how destinations can maintain a focus on sustainable tourism in the midst of a global pandemic.

As news of border closures and reopenings, case numbers and test rates dominates headlines, sustainability seems to have taken a backseat as far as travel and tourism are concerned.

However, as the marketing and promotion director for the Italian National Tourism Board, Maria Elena Rossi, said on Monday, the slow-down in tourism presents an opportunity to rebuild in a sustainable way.

“If anything, the pandemic has reinforced the need to continue to push for a sustainable future in the travel industry,” Clark said. 

“It’s about rebuilding to ensure that we don’t have destinations that are overrun with overtourism and we really need to focus on that regional dispersion as well.”

Clark emphasised the importance of working alongside local operators and local tourism authorities to make sure a supplier’s practices are suitable for that specific destination. That’s why the company decided to invest in opening an office in Peru.

“By having that team on the ground, we’re in a good position to lobby and drive change as we see its needed,” she said. 

“An example of that would be pioneering to reduce single-use plastics from the Inca Trail, which worked with other operators to drive that forward and it’s now a law so it’s great to see destinations like Peru taking this seriously.”

Travel Weekly editor Huntley Mitchell chats with Vargas and Clark on day three of Travel DAZE

Vargas said that while sustainable tourism is still a developing concept in Peru, he believes the progress the destination has made will drive tourists to Peru.

There is still a lot to do and improve in preserving our heritage in a sustainable way, but Machu Picchu will soon become the first tourism destination to be carbon neutral,” he said.

“Our priority is safety, but we want to start promoting Peru as an adventure destination for outdoor sports, cycling and trekking.

“We want to promote the nature, the culture and gastronomy that is important to Peru.”

Clark said Peru is a great option for travel agents to send clients to once international travel is back on the cards.

“A lot of what our customers have been saying over the last few months is that they really want to get out into nature and not necessarily be surrounded by thousands of people,” she said. 

 “I think that’s a perfect alignment with what Peru offers: that reconnection with local communities, trekking, rafting and so on.”

Clark is hopeful that by the time travel does go back to “normal”, the industry will have changed for the better.

“I think as an industry, what we do very well is work together and support each other,” she said. 

“I imagine on the other side of this, as we start seeing customers move around the globe, we’ll see a lot of support for each other across the industry.

“Rebuilding the industry in a sustainable way is incredibly important for the future. Suppliers need to be using locally owned accommodation and local transport where possible and also marketing the whole of a country, to really spread that tourism dollar where it’s needed most.”

You can watch the Travel DAZE session featuring Vargas and Clark in full, on demand HERE.

And, there are still more speakers to come this week as part of Travel DAZE 2020. Check out when they will be featuring HERE.


Featured image: iStock/hadynyah

Latest News

  • Famil

TravHost launches expert hosting service to transform industry famils

TravHost offers a pioneering service bridging the gap between media professionals, travel agents and tourism organisations, addressing the demand for exceptional famil hosts. Founded by seasoned travel media professionals Fiona Harper and Carolyne Jasinski, TravHost is poised to revolutionise the way tourism organisations and travel companies approach famils. With decades of experience in tourism and […]

  • Tour Operators
  • Travel Agents

Book big and bag a spot of the TTC Tour Brand’s Top Achievers’ Famil

TTC Tour Brands’ Top Achievers Famil incentive is back, rewarding top-selling agents with the chance to embark on an unforgettable trip to a destination that remains a secret – for now. Agents who have sold any Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Costsaver and Contiki, from 1 December 2024 to 14 March 2025, go into the […]

  • Business Travel
  • Conferences

New Zealand International Convention Centre to open in February 2026

The New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) has announced it is opening its doors to New Zealand and world conferences and events in February 2026. The long-awaited NZICC is set to transform New Zealand’s conference and events industry, boosting visitation and the wider economy with its world-class facilities. Located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, […]

  • Cruise
  • Events

AmaWaterways invites AU/NZ travel trade to An Evening with AmaWaterways events

AmaWaterways has announced the dates of its upcoming An Evening with AmaWaterways events for travel advisors, just over a year after it entered the Australian and New Zealand markets. Dedicated to travel advisors, the events will be held in six cities and will be hosted by AmaWaterways’ regional sales managers, plus feature a presentation from […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

Mooloolaba cruise season boosts Sunshine Coast tourism and trade

Mooloolaba is set to welcome a series of cruise ships through February and March 2025, significantly boosting local businesses and tourism to the Sunshine Coast. Their arrival is expected to create a vibrant atmosphere and provide a substantial economic uplift to the region. Viking Sky kicks off the season on Sunday 8 February, with 930 […]

  • Food & Beverage

Little Pete Brewing opens first of its kind open-air bar

Little Pete Brewing has opened a new open-air bar at 543 Step Rd, Langhorne Creek, a must-visit South Australia destination for a drink with a view. The first-of-its-kind open-air bar sits on 8ha, surrounded by vineyards and paddocks, with the Bremer River flowing nearby and framed by majestic ancient river red gums. “We always felt […]

  • Events

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025

CENTREPIECE is set to make a splash at AIME 2025 with a one-of-a-kind activation that showcases their world-class event capabilities to inspire event planners and decision-makers. CENTREPIECE is located in the heart of Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Victoria’s epicentre for live sports and entertainment and home to world-renowned venues including Rod Laver Arena, AAMI Park, […]

  • Destinations
  • Tourism

NYC Tourism + Conventions announces two exciting new events

NYC Tourism + Conventions has announced ‘NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025’ and ‘Value Family Activities’ events lined up for this year. NYC Off-Broadway Week 2025 2-for-1 ticket sales for this event have begun with this season’s program featuring 29 Off-Broadway performances, including 18 new participants. The twice-yearly program runs from 17 February through 9 March with […]

  • Events
  • Tourism

Jeju wins bid to host 2028 Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has successfully secured the 14th Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC14) for Jeju in November 2028. This was achieved in partnership with the Korean Society of Microscopy, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju Convention Bureau, and Jeju International Convention Center. Korea was selected as the final host after strong competition at the 13th […]

  • Cruise
  • Food & Beverage

Oceania Cruises sets new standard for onboard dining: one chef for every 10 guests

Oceania Cruises, renowned for The Finest Cuisine at Sea, has set a new standard for onboard dining with an exquisite new menu evolution in The Grand Dining Room. Launching on its newest 1,200-guest ship, Allura, in July 2025, the reimagined menus introduce over 270 brand-new recipes, from curated Signature Eggs Benedict breakfast selection to a chic French […]