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Machu Picchu Leads the List of the Top Ten Best Trips to Take in the World |
Machu Picchu was on the front page of the travel section of the prestigious New York Daily News leading the list of the Top Ten Trips to take in the world, announced Juan Carlos Diaz, the Director of PromPeru.
In addition to Machu Picchu, the list of the ten best trips to take
included: Alaska, Norway and Finland (where visitors can view the Aurora
Borealis), the Great Wall of China, New Zealand, the rainforests of
Brazil, the trip by car from South Africa to Egypt, the trip on the Orient
Express from Paris to Istanbul, and the temples of Cambodia.
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Cuzco Named Best Tourist Destination Worldwide |
The British magazine Wanderlust, one of the most important tourism magazines in the
world, awarded the city of Cuzco, Peru with the Top City Gold Award during the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2005. This is the fourth
time since 1999 that Cuzco has received the award. The readers of Wanderlust elected Cuzco from a pool of 557 cities. The award
was received by Luis Solari, Peru’s ambassador in the UK. The number of British tourists to Cuzco has increased by 40% in the last
2 years.
New Museum with
Machu Picchu
Artifacts |
More than 250
artifacts, each more than 500 years old, will be exhibited in a new museum
in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) in memoriam of Dr. Manuel Chavez Ballon,
a famous archaeologist from Cuzco. Included in the exhibits are various
gold and silver pieces found at Machu Picchu by archaeologists. |
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Peruvian Tourism Campaign Begins in the
United States |
PromPeru (the Peruvian Promotion Commission) announced that it will launch a campaign directed at potential tourists using as a platform
prestigious media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Dallas Morning News,
Boston Globe and Denver Post. In addition, the Peruvian government will spend $3 million dollars on advertising campaigns in the United
States. Peru has participated in trade shows and conventions such as: the Adventure Travel Expo in New York and Washington, SeaTrade in
Miami, and the Location Trade Show in Los Angeles. Peru’s goal is to allow potential visitors to learn about the tourism opportunities in
Peru and the diverse attractions that the nation offers.
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Paving of the Road from Arequipa to Colca will Double the Number of Tourists |
Finishing the paving of the road from Arequipa to Colca Canyon will double the number from 400 to 800 daily visitors. The yearly estimate is to receive 120 thousand visitors annually announced Bernard Dioguardi, President of the Hotels Association of Arequipa.
The Colca Canyon was carved by the Colca River, which starts high in the Andes. Over its long path to the Pacific Ocean, the river changes its name to the Majes and then the Camana.
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The Colca Canyon is thought to be the deepest canyon in the world and is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Unlike the Grand Canyon, portions of the Colca Canyon are habitable. Pre-Colombian terraced fields are still supporting agriculture and human life.
The condors that soar high above the canyon are also one of the great attractions in the area. In the mornings and evenings, visitors are able to see them hunting; an unforgettable experience. Hiking and rafting are among the activities available to visitors. A few travel tips: bring cash as the small towns in the area do not have ATMs and travelers checks aren’t used, also bring plenty of film for the spectacular views. If you are planning on hiking, bring plenty of water or water purification tablets, a hat sunscreen and sunglasses. Near the Colca Canyon the La Calera
Hot Springs in Chivay are an excellent way to relax after a day full of activities.
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Arequipa Implements
New Tourist Circuits |
Six new tourist circuits, including sites not previously visited by tourists, but with great
beauty and historical significance have been implemented by authorities and entrepreneurs from Arequipa, Huanuco and Ucayali. Mr.
Edgar Flores, Tourism Director from Arequipa indicated that they are promoting the circuit of Andagua, Valley of Volcanoes and
Cotahuasi Canyon, among others.
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Caminos del Inca (The Inca
Trail) Requested to be Declared
“World Heritage” |
The governments of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina are taking the
necessary steps to make the “Camino del Inca” (the Inca Trail) to be declared “World Heritage” by UNESCO. More than 200
representatives who attended the Second Encounter of Quechua People of America in Cuzco, the ancient capital of
the Tahuantinsuyo, supported the request. The regional director of Cuzco’s National Institue of Art and Culture, David Ugarte
Vega Rye, said that during September, the Qapaq Nan will be presented to UNESCO for its recognition. He also pointed out that
the project has gone ahead 60% in Cusco’s region, and 50% in Chile, Argentina and Ecuador. In Colombia and Bolivia there are still
slight delays.
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