- Among its main tasks is creating tourism corridors or circuits as major alternatives for domestic and international visitors.
- Meanwhile, the business community spoke out in favor of the digital sale of tickets to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
- The new head of APOTUR, elected unanimously, succeeds Enrique Quiñones, who carried out an outstanding term leading the association.
The new president of the Peruvian Association of Inbound and Domestic Tourism Operators – APOTUR, Claudia Medina, announced that her first actions in office will focus on creating new tourism circuits in other jurisdictions in order to decentralize Peru’s appeal. “We cannot remain at four million or five million tourists a year; we have to grow, and the only way to grow—considering that we have a limit, which is Machu Picchu—is to create tourism circuits or corridors,” she said. She specified that these tourism circuits would include the northern route comprising the cities of Trujillo and Chiclayo, as well as the northeastern route and the jungle or Amazon route. It should be noted that the southern route has become the main one for domestic and international tourists. The head of APOTUR estimated that, to make these tourism corridors in the mentioned regions a reality, around 50 million soles must be invested to improve tourism infrastructure, rehabilitate the main roads leading to the cities, carry out sanitation works, improve signage placement, and enhance the value of tourist attractions. “What we have to do is bring operators so they can get to know these circuits, especially in the north, and encourage foreign operators to include these circuits in their itineraries,” Medina said.
100% Digital Sales
On the other hand, APOTUR President Claudia Medina voiced support for selling 100% of entry tickets to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu digitally.
“Definitely, managing them through local sales—we know the spirit is to create better conditions for the people of Aguas Calientes—but there are other kinds of measures that would help generate more work, greater flows (of money), and not make it an obligation for the tourist to stay one or three days,” she stated.
She warned that this obligation works against tourism and would create disorder and, in the end, would result in a negative image for the country.
She added that tourism should not be approached with a short-term mindset: “We must work on building an image that generates value, so that the pleasure of having visited Cusco is remembered, and so that those same tourists who visit us can create a multiplier effect when they return to their countries.”
Medina warned that having to stand in lines to buy tickets and requiring tourists to spend two additional nights in Aguas Calientes would harm the country’s image as a tourist destination.
“I believe that digitization, and setting ticket prices at a balanced and reasonable level consistent with what a world wonder represents, would help prevent conflicts of interest or markets that are not sufficiently transparent,” she concluded.
The new Board of Directors that will lead APOTUR (2025–2027) is as follows:
- President – Claudia Medina Samaniego – Domiruth Travel Service
- Vice President – Fara Pacheco de Choy – Texp Representaciones
- Treasurer Director – Vilma Ipanaque Carrillo – Pts Perú
- Director – Edilberto Díaz Laura – Planet Adventure Group
- Director – Claudia Ramírez Ugolotti – Legendary Perú
- Director – Angie Bezold Florez – Grandes Aventuras del Perú
- Director – Ángel Chanco Godoy – Gastón Sacaze
Lima, July 5, 2025
APOTUR Press Office
