Peru has begun to establish itself as an ideal destination for meeting and incentive tourism in Latin America. Recently, the city of Iquitos, located in the Peruvian jungle, was recognized as the Best Incentive Destination in Latin America at the World MICE Awards 2023, which was held within the framework of the ITB Berlin Fair, in Germany, one of the most important worldwide. This was reported by the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ).
The city of Iquitos, which belongs to the Peruvian region of Loreto, competed with prominent destinations such as Buenos Aires (Argentina), Mexico City (Mexico), Panama City (Panama), San José (Costa Rica), Santiago (Chile) and the city of Lima.
In this way, Iquitos is positioned as a perfect destination for MICE tourism (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions). Its rich biodiversity, its ancestral culture and the majestic Amazon River, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a natural wonder of the world, are some of the benefits of this important city in Peru, widely visited by national and foreign tourists.
“This recognition reflects the significant development of meeting tourism in our country in the last decade, the result of collaboration between the public sector, regional bureaus and the tourism value chain,” said the executive president of PROMPERÚ, Angélica Matsuda.
Currently, Peru is a highly competitive destination when it comes to MICE tourism. Several of its regions have a wide range of hotels, convention centers, quality services and a wide variety of restaurants that showcase Peruvian cuisine, which has been recognized in international competitions such as the World Travel Awards. In addition, each city has wonderful landscapes and various tourist attractions that make any meeting or incentive trip a unique and unrepeatable experience.
PROMPERÚ is seeking to promote the growth of this type of tourism. For this reason, this year, the "Meaningful Meetings in Peru" campaign will be launched, in which Peruvian cities such as Arequipa, Lima, Cusco, Iquitos and Paracas will be promoted to strategic markets such as the United States, Brazil, Spain, Colombia and Mexico. They have a complete infrastructure as well as first-class services to hold large international events in which a significant number of visitors participate.
This year, in addition, Peruvian participation in trade fairs specialized in meeting tourism such as Fiexpo Latin America, IBTM Américas and Imex America will continue to be promoted. With all this, we seek to continue consolidating Peru as a leading destination in the region in the meeting and incentive tourism segment.
Importance of meeting tourism
Meeting tourism is very beneficial for the host destination because it boosts the economy and attracts tourists from different parts of the world. According to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, this type of tourist spends 50% more in the destination than the visitor who only comes to vacation.
Another relevant fact is that they spend a daily amount of S/ 1,139, unlike vacation tourists who spend around S/ 500. In addition, 30% of meeting tourists take tours before and after the MICE event in the host tourist destinations.