Narayan AmmachchiPeru’s tourism sector has recorded steady growth over the past few years, with private companies increasingly investing in the construction of hotels and restaurants. According to data released by Peru’s National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur), $1.5 billion was invested in hotels between 2009 and 2012.
Most of these new hotels are concentrated in Lima and Cusco. Tourism is the nation’s third largest industry, behind fishing and mining. According to a government study, the satisfaction rate for tourists after visiting Peru is 94%.
The tourism sector in this Andean nation is growing faster than any other country in South America, with an annual growth rate of 25% over the past five years. Analysts say several remote tourist destinations lack investment and infrastructure despite the rising tide of visitors throughout the year. The southern region of Puno, for example, received 147,362 foreign visitors during the first seven months of this year.
Peru’s news agency Andina says private investment is increasing in the interior parts of the country, albeit slowly. A dozen resorts and hotels are rising in the northern coastal regions, which are home to some of the best beaches in the country.
Peru’s tourism department, meanwhile, is persuading international hotel chains to collaborate with local enterprises and participate in the effort to boost tourism infrastructure. The industry employs about 10% of the country’s labor force.
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