More than 10,000 locals and tourists flocked to Ayacucho, in southeastern Peru, to attend the third edition of ‘Ayacucho: Taste and Tradition’ gastronomic festival, said Sunilda Ochoa, regional director of foreign trade and tourism.
The event took place from July 26 to 28 on Valdelirios boulevard and was intended to promote regional and traditional cuisine among locals and foreign attendees.
In statements to Andina news agency, Sunilda pointed out that thousands of visitors thronged Ayacucho during the Independence Day holidays to enjoy not only the best of the regional and national cuisine, but its amazing tourist sites, which is also a great economic boost for the region.
"Certainly the economic activity in the Ayacucho region has improved, as domestic and foreign tourist arrivals exceeded our expectations over the Independence Day holiday weekend", the regional director said.
Other attractions that drew tourists to the area include the pre-Incan archaeological complex of Wari and the traditional Vilca Raymi Festival.
"Tourists have not only attended the food festival, they have also visited Ayacucho's tourist attractions such as the Wari archaeological complex and joined the sixteenth annual Vilca Raymi Festival," she added.
"Ayacucho: Taste and Tradition" festival included the participation of renowned chefs from Tacna, Callao and Lima, who received a well-deserved recognition at the event's closing ceremony.
(END) LIT/DLG/RMB