Aussies aren’t just travelling to Peru in record numbers for the food, pisco & attractions, they’re there to immerse themselves in the culture, according to Dalia Gibu from Abercrombie & Kent.
Speaking to KarryOn ahead of her visit to Australia for this year’s Luxperience, the Regional Sales Director explained that the Aussie enthusiasm for really getting to know a destination and its people make them ideal for the diverse destination.
Gibu, who will be part of the largest Peruvian delegation to attend Luxperience, said Australians are ‘willing to explore beyond’ the regular attractions and ‘get immersed in the destination and the culture’.
“That’s why to complement the visit to Machu Picchu, they usually spend plenty of time in the less known areas of the Sacred Valley and Cusco.”
Dalia Gibu, Abercrombie & Kent Regional Sales Director
“They travel all the way down south to the mystical Lake Titicaca: meeting the locals, hiking not only the Inca Trail but other alternative routes with less crowds and stunning landscape, etc.”
Read more of our chat with Gibu below.
Which lesser known spots are Aussies exploring?
The Amazon in the last years has become a top destination in Peru. When you hear Amazon you used to think of Brazil, but the Peruvian side offers you great connectivity from Lima, you are able to visit the narrowest part of the river with access to native communities, diverse and vast flora and fauna (including my favourite: the Pink Dolphin – not the anaconda, though you can find it there too) without sacrificing any comfort on a luxury expedition vessel and still enjoy a glass of champagne during a sundowner in the middle of the mirrored forest in the Pacaya Samiria Reserve (which is a natural reserve the size of Belgium).
Another gem of Peru which is getting more interest recently is the Northern route. Cradle of the pre Inca cultures, rich in history, unique archaeological sites and beach destinations nearby – one of them with the longest left-handed wave on Earth, a surfer must-do.
How have trends to Peru change over the past 5 years?
Peru’s economy and political stability has helped a lot in the last decades to be on the rise in the many industries, a lot of investment has been made and that is reflected in the improvement of accessibility to secluded territories and the better conservancy of the many patrimonies, as well as in the quality of the accommodation and services we can provide, not only in Cusco but in many other places to visit like Lake Titicaca, Paracas, Iquitos, etc. All these, plus Peru being a safe destination and offering good value for the money that you spend, has helped to increase not only the number of visitors but the length of stay in the country.
Travellers are taking their time to discover Peru, in the past many of them would have done only Machu Picchu and Lima for a one night stop and then move on to other destinations like Galapagos, but nowadays most of them would at least include one extension either to Lake Titicaca, the Amazon, Paracas or the Colca Canyon amongst others.
Is there deterring people for booking travel to Peru?
Travelers should not have any concerns about coming to Peru. Peru is a safe destination, with no major political issues, with a growing economy in the last decades and very open and friendly people.
Many travellers are going to Europe these days because of the value against the Euro, but remember that in South America we also offer good value for money in hotels and touring plus basic commodities are not expensive at all.
Connectivity also helps, Santiago (and soon Buenos Aires from New Zealand) having direct flights plus the regional network provided by LATAM make it easier to get to Lima, plus Cusco will have in a few years time, a new international airport.
What do Aussies want to see in South America?
Definitely visit Machu Picchu – better if hiking the Inca Trail, navigate and discover the enchanted Galapagos Islands and its out-of-the world fauna, watch the impressive moais and meet the local Rapa Nuis at Easter Island, hike the Patagonia on both sides Chilean and Argentinean to see from glaciers to pumas, become Indiana Jones in the Amazon to encounter the mighty Anaconda or fish for piranhas, stare at the fullest moon and get wet at the Iguazu falls – nature wonder of the world, and dance until you have no feet left at the carnival in Rio.
But there are so many others that should be in the bucket list like Choquequirao – the last Inca refuge, so called the new Machu Picchu, Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia – paradise for creative photographers, the Atacama desert for a unique star gazing experience, the Pantanal in Brazil – home of the elusive jaguars, etc. and many others, the list is very long.
Is A&K doing anything new to market Peru to Aussies?
Aussies love to travel extensively in South America and cover at least three countries on their trips to our side of the world. A&K has a regional structure with local offices in Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina and can provide a seamless operation throughout South America.
We are offering special interest journeys as well as the highlights of the region with a great combination of unique activities, our insider access and WOW moments. We are also taking into account that we should be able to cater to different budgets and incentivizing regional traveling with competitive pricing. We have quite an adventurous team always looking into off the beaten path destinations and local experiences to provide to our travellers in a safely manner with the best guiding and comfort.
Any plans to introduce any new itineraries in Peru?
We are always looking into developing new adventures in South America.
In Peru, our Cusco team has developed new experiences in the lesser known areas of the Sacred Valley getting our travellers involved with the local communities on a very authentic and sustainable way and we are always eager to show our travellers there is more to see in Cusco and surroundings and more reasons to stay longer. For art lovers by instance we can have a specialized visit to the Southern Baroque route to visit Andahuaylillas (the Sistine chapel of the Americas) and other unique churches with a local art expert.
Many of our travellers have been amazed also by our Andes and Altiplano itinerary. Starting with Machu Picchu, moving onto the Lake Titicaca, crossing to the Bolivian shamanic side, flying to the mirror of the earth (as astronauts called it when seen from the moon) Uyuni salt flats and sleeping on an air stream camper to continue our journey to the ‘living’ desert of Atacama, where we are just launching our new glamping experience. A&K Atacama Camp, the first private luxury camp in the Atacama Desert, the driest desert on earth with one of the most unique and unusual ecosystems in South America with the clearest sky in the world, the perfect spot on Earth for star gazing, of course with a delicious barbeque, smores and a glass of Carmenere in hand.
Many attractions, many new experiences! We invite everyone to come to Peru and the rest of South America and hopefully let us show you our hidden treasures and the highlights in a unique way.