Peru aims to a Regional Alliance in tourism to take advantage of the effects of the trade war

Translated By: Raul Silva M.

View EMOL.COM Original Source Here

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The Tourism Vice Minister of Peru Jose Ernesto Vidal, in an interview with Emol, assured that the conflict between China and the US is an "opportunity for the region to show our riches and benefits".

June 12, 2019

Machu Picchu Ruins
Photo: Pixabay.com

The already declared trade war between China and the United States has produced negative impacts in several areas of the world economy such as agriculture, metallurgy, technology and finance. However, there is one that could be benefited: Tourism, especially in Latin America. This is stated by the Vice Minister of Tourism of Peru, Jose Ernesto Vidal, who is in Santiago taking part in meetings of the 12th version of the Feria Internacional del Mercado de Reuniones y Viajes de Incentivo de América Latina y el Caribe (International Market Fair for Meetings and Incentive Travels in Latin America and the Caribbean). 

"Taking advantage of the current situation between China and the United States, which is expected to impact the groups of Chinese citizens who will no longer be able to travel to the United States, it is a great opportunity to generate strategic alliances, not only with Chile, but it can also be with Ecuador or Colombia, to attract that demand for receptive tourists", said the authority in an interview with Emol.

"It is an opportunity for the region to be able to show our riches, benefits and our countries in this framework of the trade war," he added.

During the year 2018, it is estimated that Peru received a total of 4,419,430 international tourists, with an increase of 9.6% in relation to 2017. Of these, 1,159,188 correspond to the flow of the Chilean market (26%), growing by 5% compared to the same period of the previous year.

"The Chilean tourist likes nature, he is traveling a lot to the jungle for cultural tourism, the one that arrives in Peru goes to Macchu Picchu and there is also a group of Chileans who are traveling for sports tourism, especially surfing," explains Vice Minister Jose Ernesto Vidal. "These tourists enter Tacna because of service issues, casino, and from there they move to Puno, Juliaca and enter Cusco, the other way is through Lima."

Country brand

The  Vinicunca 
(Seven Color Mountain, Peru)

"Peru is very rich in terms of its diversity of products to show: we have cultural tourism, business, adventure, bird watching, that is, you can develop different types of tourism," says the deputy minister.

Regarding how the State began to consolidate the country brand that it currently has, he states that "through organizing and recognizing what we have, making a national inventory of all tourism products and then giving priority to those that may have the greatest potential".

"After this we organized a national tourism plan that we know as Pertur (Regional Strategic Tourism Plan), we began to develop it and then to implement," he adds.

Peruvians in Chile

According to Vidal, "Peruvians come to Chile more for business, there is a big difference in income issues, tourism in Chile with respect to Peruvians is more formal, more corporate, more entrepreneurial". According to Sernatur (National Tourism Service) data given to Emol, in 2018 388,942 Peruvians entered Chile and so far in 2019, 140,196.

Puyehue Hot Springs

Written By: Raúl Silva M. 

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Photo: economicasbariloche.com.ar

A must-see in the Region de Los Lagos (lit. "Region of the Lakes") are the Puyehue Hot Springs, located 76 kilometers East of the city of Osorno, forming part of the magnificent Puyehue National Park. A large number of tourists who come to the Nature Reserve, is to visit the beautiful tourist complex built taking advantage of the wonderful view of the surrounding landscape and the thermal baths, from the collection of geothermal waters, of great sedative and analgesic effects. The temperature varies from 37º C to 40º C, but in its original source it reaches 70º C. It is also possible to enjoy mud baths with healing properties. The healing properties were even known from remote times, by native peoples. The 4-Star  Hotel Termas Puyehue Wellness & Spa Resort offers a wide range of services so that its visitors can rest, relax and enjoy the thermal baths, forests and magnificent landscape around. The origin of the facilities goes back to 1907 but the current infrastructure begins to consolidate when between 1939 and 1947 is carried out the construction of the Gran Hotel Puyehue.

How to Get There

By Air: From Santiago to Carlos Hot Siebert Airport in Osorno, the flight lasts two hours.
By Land: Through the 215 International Route that connects Osorno with the Argentine tourist city of San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina, through Cardenal Antonio Samore border pass.

Climate

The climate of the whole area is Temperate Rainy, with heavy rains, which occur throughout the year and can reach 4,000 mm. The average annual temperature is 11 ° C. During the Winter, in the area near the Andes, the rains turn into snow, with temperatures ranging between -8º C an 10º C. and in Summer, the temperatures range from 15° C to just over 30° C.

Services and Activities

Photo:  https://www.puyehue.cl

The place has two thermal pools, one indoor and the other outdoors, whose waters emerge naturally and allow you to relax mixed with the charm of the surrounding natural landscape. 

The spa also offers hydromassage, mud, sulfur and sea salt baths, hot volcanic stones massage, relaxing massages with cannabis oil, various beauty treatments. 

The South of Chile stands out for its exquisite cuisine and Puyehue is not the exception. In addition to the traditional recipes of the Chilean cuisine, traditional dishes from the German, French and Italian cultures are also prepared. Among its restaurants stand out Los Troncos Restaurant, with a quality and variety of incredible dishes, for all tastes; the Olivia Nova Restaurant, which offers a la carte dinner and requires a previous reservation, which is made at Los Troncos restaurant for breakfast, and the Lago Puyehue Restaurant with a fusion of Chilean-French cuisine.

Among the indoor activities, visitors can practice in the comfortable Bowling Alley, for the entertainment of adults and children alike, open from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm. There is a complete Gym with well-equipped facilities, all kinds of machines to stay in shape and maintain a daily sports activity, open every day of the week, between 09.30 and 20.00 hours, access is allowed only for adults. There is also a roofed, heated mini-Golf Course, which works all year round, between 09.00 and 00.00 hours. 

You can also make use of the Kids Club, an area specially designed to entertain the children; a Game Room inside the hotel, at no additional cost, to enjoy with family or friends, also with Video Games for youth to enjoy; an Escape Room, where in 60 minutes players must find the solution to the riddle of finding the exit, open from 16:00 to 23:00 hrs. Water polo practice, the semi-covered thermal pool is rectangular in dimension and similar to a water polo field, so this sport is usually practiced in Puyehue.

The environment is ideal for countless outdoor activities, the most requested are the practice of Hiking, through the series of routes of the National Park; Mountainbiking, for cycling and nature enthusiasts; Horse trips, for adults and children, with different degrees of difficulty, Birdwatching as well as the practice of different Sports such as Tennis, Volleyball, Football, etc.. 

* Official Website: https://www.puyehue.cl/

Puyehue National Park

Written By: Raúl Silva M. 

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Hotel Termas de Puyehue
Photo: radiosago.cl - Archivo

Puyehue National Park was created in 1941, currently covering an area of 107,000 hectares, forming part of the Temperate Rainforests of the Southern Andes Biosphere Reserve. It is located 80 Km. East of the city of Osorno, between Los Lagos and Los Rios Regions, considered as the entrance to the Northern Chilean Patagonia. Formerly, this part of Chile was inhabited by some Huilliche communities, the southernmost branch of the Mapuche ethnic group. Many of the legends had their origin in that ancestral period. Due to the large quantity of natural attractions that it contains, Parque Nacional Puyehue is one of the most emblematic and important national parks in Chile and a growing number of tourists visit it every year, supported by a solid tourist infrastructure in the midst of the beautiful, untouched nature of the region.

How to get to Puyehue National Park

The season of the year with the largest number of tourists is between December and the beginning of March, although any time is good to visit the park. In Summer are ideal outdoor activities such as excursions to the main attractions, Salto del Indio, Salto de la Princesa, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, etc., visiting the Raihuen Crater or the Casablanca Stratovolcano. In Winter, you can enjoy the practice of skiing at Antillanca Mountain Resort and the contrast with a session at Aguas Calientes or Termas de Puyehue Thermal Baths. 

To get to the Nature Sanctuary you have to take the CH 215 International Route, entirely paved, this road joins the cities of Osorno in Chile and the tourist city of San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina. At km 76 is the U-215 fork that leads to Aguas Calientes and Antillanca. There are bus services with daily departures to Puyehue from Puerto Montt, capital of Los Lagos Region, these departures increase their frequency in summer.


Administrative Headquarters:  There are two administrators, Turistica Aguas Calientes, website www.termasaguascalientes.cl located 4 km. from the International Route and in the area of Anticura, in charge of the Comunidad Indígena de Ñielay Mapu, website www.anticura.com

Main Features, Flora and Fauna

Photo: biobiochile.cl

The heavy rainfalls of Southern Chile give origin to the Evergreen Forests, typical of this part of the country. The Park's topography is the consequence of glaciations and volcanic activity which gave form to the Andean Massif. There are numerous lakes of great beauty and valleys such as those of rivers Gol- Gol and Chanleufu. The volcanic zone becomes more evident in Antillanca, highlighting the Casablanca Stratovolcano, several craters and the volcanic groups of Fiucha and Sarnoso. On the north side, are Puyehue Volcano and Caulle Volcanic Complex, with the presence of recent lava flows, thermal waters and geysers. 

The exuberant forest is composed of a variety of species. In the lowest places you can find Ulmo and Coigüe along with Olivillo and Tineo. The undergrowth is abundant in bushes, lianas ferns, mosses and lichens, which give rise to a great floristic richness. At higher altitudes, are found Tepa and Mañío woods along with large Coigües, a species that at high parts becomes predominant. Near the vegetational limit, extend Coigüe de Magallanes and Lenga Forests.

Among the mammals are the Puma, the South American Gray Fox, the Huron (Ferret), the Coipo (Coypu), Wildcats, Vizcachas, the Monito del Monte (Little Monkey of the Bush) and the Chingue (Skunks), while among the birds highlight the Pato Correntino (Torrent Duck), the Carpintero Negro (Magellanic Woodpecker), Torcazas (Eared Doves), Black-throated Huet-Huets, the Aguilucho (Red-backed Hawk), Condors, the Choroy (Slender-billed parakeet), Hualas (Great Grebe), the Chercan (House Wren), and Bandurrias (Buff-necked Ibis).

Best Attractions in Puyehue

* Antillanca Ski Center and Mountain Resort

* Moncopulli Auto Museum  
* Hotel Termas Puyehue Wellness & Spa Resort