10:42 | Lima, Mar. 24 (ANDINA).
Peru through its consulate general in Dubai has strategic plans to enhance awareness of the destination among the Gulf Arab states as our country has seen increased interest from visitors of the Middle East region in the last few years.
The first initiative was a successful roll out of the Peruvian Food Festival that was held in Dubai to showcase the culinary offerings of the country. Romulo Acurio, Peruvian Consul General in Dubai, spoke with Travel Daily Middle esEast about the plans to promote the country in the Middle East region.
“There has been an increase in the number of visas issued to Peru from the region and this is encouraging. As a country, we are looking at several opportunities like trade fairs to showcase the key offerings of our country,” he added.
Plans include several initiatives like food festivals, joint promotions, outdoor advertising at strategic locations such as the airport to enhance brand awareness, participation in trade fairs like the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) among others, traveldailymedia.com reported.
Elaborating further, Director of the Trade & Investment Office of Peru in Dubai, Alvaro Silva Santisteban said: “There is a strong trade network between the Middle East and Peru in several segments. Tourism is an emerging segment and we see a lot of potential. We have a big travel fair – Peru Travel Mat that is scheduled to take place from 19-21 June 2013, this will be a good medium to educate the trade about our destination.”
The Andean country is also keen to attract Middle East investors in varied industries. With a small tourist base of 1000 visitors from the region, the consulate is confident of boosting these numbers in the coming years.
“Peru is known for its natural flora and fauna, ancient culture, eco-tourism, archaeological cities and World Heritage Sites like Machu Picchu. We also have an abundance of culture, sports activities and interestingly even thermal tourism. There is a lot of inquiry into the spiritual aspect of the country too,” said Acurio.
With an easy access of visa within 24hours, the country is keen to expand its presence. A recent development is the opening of the Peru embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This new development marks the official establishment of bilateral relations between Peru and the Gulf Arab Nation.
(END) INT/LOG
Published: 3/24/2013