Peru regains prominence in the meetings industry with a high-impact strategy
From FIEXPO Latin America 2025 in San José, Costa Rica, María Del Sol Velásquez García, Director of Tourism Promotion at Promperú, highlighted the country's reactivation in the MICE segment. Strong public-private partnerships, the new Lima airport, and the return of international airlines mark a new era for meeting tourism
What expectations does Peru have for this new edition of FIEXPO?
We're very excited. We're coming with three co-exhibitors and three bureaus: Lima, Iquitos, and Arequipa. Our main goal is to close deals and attract new conferences and events to Peru. In fact, we've already received applications for 2026, which is a positive sign that this fair is generating significant interest.
What is the current situation of the MICE segment in Peru?
After a period of promotional silence, we are resuming our campaign with a vengeance in 2023. The strategy focuses on attracting high-impact events such as conferences and forums. This is possible thanks to the coordination between the private sector, tourism bureaus, and the Vice Ministry of Tourism. Without this collaborative effort, this would be impossible to achieve. Today, we have a common goal: to put Peru back on the international radar.
What are the most active destinations in the country in this segment?
The main destinations for conventions and events are Lima, Cusco, Iquitos, Ica, and Arequipa. Each with its own unique characteristics, but all well-equipped to host meeting tourism.
One of the major new developments is the new Lima Airport. What impact do you expect it to have?
Very high. It was about time we had this level of infrastructure. Now the challenge is attracting new airlines. During the pandemic, many airlines prioritized profitable routes to destinations that didn't close borders. We did, and that left us off the map for a while. But now, with the reactivation of the sector and the new airport, we're embarking on an intense promotional campaign.
Are there any concrete advances in air connectivity?
Yes. Air Canada is returning in August, and we're in advanced discussions with Asian airlines, though I can't name them yet, for new routes starting in 2026-2027, when they renew their fleets. We're once again an attractive destination.
What other activities do you have planned for this year outside of FIEXPO?
In addition to international trade shows like WTM, we have Peru Travel Mart on June 27th, our most important trade show. We'll also be hosting events like Perú Mucho Gusto in New York in September and São Paulo in December. We're making a strong entrance not only as a tourist destination, but also by highlighting our best selling point: our gastronomy.