Takeaways from the Peru Outdoor Expo held in Huaraz
Peru is making a determined effort to host the outdoor adventure crowd, with its first-ever show specifically designed for that market staged in a dramatically scenic part of the country that underscored how the Latin American nation can easily accommodate those wanting to experience the Great Outdoors.
Peruvian tourism board PromPeru hosted the Peru Outdoor Expo in the northern city of Huaraz in early October, with Huaraz a staging point for those wanting to go hiking or climbing in the Cordillera Blanca mountains, among other things home to Huascaran, at 6,768 meters the highest mountain in Peru.
The show enabled Peruvian tour companies to meet foreign firms and travel agencies that have adventurous clients.
“From the Pacific Ocean to the Andes, from desert to rainforest, every corner of our country offers a unique destination,” Francisco Basili, president of the Peruvian Association of Adventure, Ecotourism and Specialized Tourism said during the show’s opening. “Today, with this first Peru Outdoor Expo, we want to share our treasures with the world. This Expo is more than a business meeting – it is a milestone. It is a vision. Peru will become a global leader in adventure and nature tourism.”
Basili paid tribute to the Ancash region hosting the event, saying the show was held “at the foot of Huascaran,” which he labeled one of Peru’s “greatest treasures.”
Other show attendees were Jacques Jian of France’s UGoTravel, Rafael Noriega of Intorno Campers & Experiences, Ursula Hernandez of the Amazon’s Huella Verde lodge and Diego Arelano of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. They are flanked by a couple sporting traditional Andean dress.
Huascaran is located in Huascaran National Park, home to lofty mountains, high-altitude lakes, glaciers and exotic wildlife.
Basili reported that the Adventure Travel Trade Association – which promotes adventure travel internationally – now ranks “Peru No. 6 in its global adventure tourism rankings” and then declared that “the future of adventure tourism is here in Peru.”
He promised that those who work in adventure tourism in Peru will continue to do so in a way that both protects nature and respects Peruvian cultures.
Meanwhile, Basili told his audience that he’s aware that Peru – frequently associated with the Inca Civilization – offers visitors more than adventure tourism.
“Peru is biodiversity, culture and hospitality,” he said.
