For many Americans, Peru evokes images of ancient Incan culture, highlighted by the mystical archaeological site at Machu Picchu. But the country is a diverse destination that also features cosmopolitan cities, beautiful beaches and the natural wonders of the Amazon region.

Peru hosted more than 641,280 American tourists in 2018, a seven percent increase compared with 2017, and the country is poised for another strong tourism year in 2019, as the South American nation grows increasingly popular among U.S. travelers and consumers.

The upscale neighborhoods found in Peru's capital city of Lima offer a variety of trendy restaurants, museums, shops and cultural attractions. Peru is also among the world's most bio-diverse countries, with hundreds of endemic species of flora and fauna and multiple opportunities for bird-watching in distinctive landscapes filled with wildlife.

Meanwhile, Peru's celebrated gastronomy is a product of the country's cultural diversity, tourism officials say, with each city offering its own regional dishes and flavors. We spoke recently with Edgar Vasquez Vela, Peru's minister of tourism and foreign trade, to learn more about this exotic and emerging destination.

TP: Where do Americans fit into Peru's tourism marketplace?

EV: Americans are the main nationality that we receive in Peru. [American visitors] are important for us, because of the income they represent for our country, and also because it's a way for us to market in other places.

If Americans are going to Peru it means it's a great place, an amazing place, creating better marketing for Peru in other countries.

TP: Has the government worked closely with Peru's tourism authority to promote the country internationally?

EV: I am the minister of foreign trade and tourism, but also I am the president of the directorate of PromPeru, which is our agency for the promotion of tourism. In that regard, we have four offices for PromPeru in the United States, in Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Houston.

Last year was a wonderful year for us in terms of tourism. The rise in international tourists increased near to 10 percent, with 4.4 million international tourists. And from the United States represents 14.5 percent of that total, or 641,000 travelers. The numbers increased 7.1 percent. We have very good numbers and we are trying to work very hard in order to continue growing at this rate.

TP: Peru is an incredibly diverse country with a variety of attractions, but many travelers seem to focus exclusively on Machu Picchu. How do you address this from a marketing perspective?

EV: It's impossible not to take advantage of Machu Picchu. It's one of the 'Seven Wonders of the World,' and it's very important for us in order to put Peru on the minds of the people of the world. But Peru is an amazing country, a rich country.

We have a coastal region with very beautiful beaches. We have the Andes in the north. We have the Amazon region including where the Amazon River [originates] we have Titicaca Lake, we have very good gastronomy. We have a lot of things to do in Peru and our idea is to promote more places and diversify destination Peru.

TP: Why has Peru become popular with American travelers?

EV: Peru is now in a very good moment internationally for our image. It is a preferred place in Latin America, with a stable economy, [and] we have no problems regarding security or an economic crisis. That means Peru is a safe destination, and Peru is also very well known for our gastronomy.

Americans are also seeking adventure and Peru is an amazing place for that. The short flying distance, five or six hours, is very comfortable and we have a lot of connections with airlines in the United States. Those are very important aspects that put Peru in a very important position for the American people.

TP: What is the average Peru itinerary like for an American traveler?

EV: Americans who arrive in Peru spend an average of $1,400, not including flights, and stay an average of 11 nights. That's important. Also, they are not just arriving in Lima and Cusco, they are going to Arequipa, Puno [and] La Libertad.

That is why we are receiving a lot of investment in hotels from American investors and chains. We now have Marriott and Hilton, and in the next weeks and months, we will add additional hotels, for example, an AC Hotel by Marriott in Lima's Miraflores district, the most beautiful and contemporary area in Lima.

TP: How important are travel agents and tour operators to Peru tourism?

EV: We estimate that 40 percent of American travelers to Peru book with a travel agency. Also, around 40 percent of the Americans also stay in four- and five-star hotels. Travel agents are very important to our tourism success.

TP: How are arrivals to Peru shaping up this year?

We're doing very well. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) expects global tourism to grow around three percent this year and about one percent for Latin America. In early 2019, the growth in tourists visiting Peru was 4.5 percent, higher than the global estimate for tourism and almost four percent higher than the average for Latin America. We expect the arrivals to continue growing now, during what is [Peru's] main tourism season. Our estimation is to have around 4.7 million international tourists in 2019.

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