Peru’s Foreign Tourism Surge: A 29% Boost in 2024

Peru’s foreign tourism sector experienced a remarkable 29% growth in 2024. The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) reported this significant increase on Thursday. The country welcomed 732,000 more international visitors compared to the previous year.

Peru hosted a total of 3,256,693 international tourists in 2024. This figure represents a strong 74.5% recovery from pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019. The tourism industry’s resilience is evident in these numbers.

Several countries surpassed their pre-pandemic tourism levels to Peru. The Dominican Republic led with a 46.2% increase. Guatemala followed with 38.4%, Costa Rica with 15.3%, India with 14.2%, and Bolivia with 0.1%.

Chile emerged as the top source of tourists, sending 700,000 visitors (21.5% of the total). The United States came second with 604,000 tourists (18.6%). Ecuador contributed 291,000 (8.9%), Bolivia 189,000 (5.8%), Brazil 185,000 (5.7%), and Colombia 170,000 (5.2%).

These six countries accounted for 65.7% of all arrivals. This concentration suggests strong regional ties and effective marketing in these key markets.

South America dominated the tourist influx, representing 51.6% of the total with 1,678,963 international visitors. North America followed with 24% (783,000 tourists). Europe contributed 16.6% (540,000), while Asia accounted for 4% (129,000).

Peru’s Foreign Tourism Surge: A 29% Boost in 2024

Peruvian outbound tourism also showed signs of recovery. In 2024, 3,172,842 Peruvian residents traveled abroad for tourism. This figure reached 96.9% of pre-pandemic levels, indicating a strong desire to explore.

Chile was the top destination for Peruvian tourists, attracting over one million visitors. The United States followed with 390,000, Bolivia with 337,000, Spain with 281,000, and Colombia with 266,000.

These figures paint a picture of a thriving tourism sector in Peru. The country’s appeal to international visitors remains strong, promising continued growth in the industry.