Peru is a Culinary Powerhouse

Image: PHOTO: Travelers visit Peru for its culinary delights such as ceviche. (photo courtesy of Thinkstock)
Image: PHOTO: Travelers visit Peru for its culinary delights such as ceviche. (photo courtesy of Thinkstock)
Janeen Christoff
by Janeen Christoff
Last updated: 2:57 PM ET, Tue December 12, 2017

Peru continues to make a name for itself in the culinary world.

For the sixth consecutive year, Peru was named 'Best Culinary Destination in the World' at the World Travel Awards.

Recently held at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in Vietnam, Machu Picchu was also once again recognized as the Best Tourist Attraction.

"These recognitions are the result of the work we are doing to promote our tourism resources and our gastronomy," said Isabella Falco, Country Image Director of PROMPERU. "These awards help to highlight Peru in the eyes of the world and we will continue to work to maintain Peru in first place, which contributes to improving the quality of life of all those Peruvians whose welfare depends on the growth of international tourism."

A PROMPERU study recently revealed that while the main reason people travel to Peru is Machu Picchu, gastronomy is another top reason travelers are heading to the country.

Eighty-two percent of tourists who visit consider Peru a foodie destination while 25 percent say that the popularity of Peruvian cuisine is growing in their countries of origin.

With several Peruvian restaurants on the list of "50 Best Restaurants in the World"-including Central (5th place), Maido (8) and Astrid & Gaston (33)- Peru continues to receive international recognition for its culinary achievements.

There are also 10 Peruvian restaurants on the list of "50 Best Restaurants in Latin America": Maido (1), Central (2), Astrid & Gaston (7), Osso Carnicería y Salumeria (12), La Mar (15) , Isolina (21), Rafael (24), Malabar (30), Fiesta (46) and Ámaz (47).

Additionally, the country has been recognized as one of the top vegetarian-friendly countries in South America.

With Peru continually being recognized at the World Travel Awards, it's easy to understand why tourism to the country is growing.

In 2016, the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu received 1.4 million visitors and had an average growth of 6 percent during the last five years.

According to Trip Advisor, 98 percent of the tourists that visited the site have a positive evaluation of their experience.

In order to further enhance the tourism experience at Machu Picchu and alleviate overcrowding, new ticket policies were recently adopted. The new rules are designed to even out the crowds at the monument where visitor numbers have increased exponentially and follow similar techniques in other crowded destinations such as the Cinque Terre and Angkor Wat.


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