• Ecuadorians enjoy visiting beaches of Peru's Piura region. Photo: ANDINA/ Difusión

• Piura, Feb. 05 (ANDINA). The number of Ecuadorian tourists who prefer to visit the beaches of Peru’s northern Piura region, ideal for surfing, fishing or just for those who go looking for sun, is steadily increasing, the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur) reported Sunday.

  The head of Dircetur Tumbes Pedro Ortiz stressed that in February roughly 6,000 tourists visit the beaches of this department every weekend. Out of said figure some 70 percent are Peruvians, most of them from Lima.

  “The remaining 30 percent are foreign tourists, mainly from Ecuador, they are our faithful public, who visit us due to the proximity of both countries and motivated by the different attractions we offer,” Ortiz noted.

  In addition, Ortiz stated that Ecuadorians enjoy Peru’s cuisine and is demanding with regard to comfort, such as air conditioner, comfortable rooms, among other requirements.

  He went on to add that the Ecuadorian tourists use to travel with their families. In turn, young people prefer to visit the boulevard and discotheques

Peruvian embassies celebrate Pisco Sour Day
 

• ANDINA/Héctor Vinces

• Lima, Feb. 04 (ANDINA). Peruvian embassies in the United States, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Uruguay, Belgium, Argentina, Qatar, Czech Republic, Chile, Turkey, Japan, Cuba, Bolivia, Honduras, Brazil and Netherlands celebrate the Pisco Sour Day on Saturday.

  
  “The pisco sour will be in the world’s eyes as many celebrations will be carried out in 18 countries all  over the world,” said Production Minister Jose Urquizo.

  The minister announced a schedule of ceremonies to celebrate, in Peru and worldwide, the Pisco Sour Day, which is commemorated the first Saturday of February every year.

  The Pisco Sour Day is also celebrated in the departments of Arequipa, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Moquegua, Piura, Tacna and Tumbes, as well as in various Lima districts like San Miguel, Jesus Maria, Barranco, Santiago de Surco, Pueblo Libre and Magdalena del Mar, among others.

  A commemorative toast is expected to be made at the Organisation of American States (OAS) in Washington, United States.

  Finally, Minister Urquizo noted that the international restaurant chain Nobu will invite a glass of pisco sour to all guests who go to its premises worldwide, joining to Peru’s celebrations.

Peru's diplomatic delegations promote pisco worldwide
 

• Pisco sour preparation at Coliseo de Gallos in Surco. Photo:ANDINA/Vidal Tarqui

• Lima, Feb. 03 (ANDINA). A total of 106 Peruvian diplomatic delegations are carrying out an intense promotion campaign to increase the demand of Peru’s national drink Pisco.

  The main purpose of this promotion campaign is to make Pisco more famous and appreciated in all continents.

  The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Production have taken some measures so that Pisco Sour Day, which is celebrated on the first weekend of February, has a greater impact on an international level.

  Pisco will be promoted in exclusive bars and aims to attract potential consumers of Peru’s flagship drink in America, Antarctica, Africa, Eurasia and Australia.

  Every event is part of a set of actions that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will carry out in embassies, general consulates and Peruvian commercial offices to promote pisco this year.

Over 360 undocumented species found in Peru's national park
 

• ANDINA/archive

• Lima, Feb. 03 (ANDINA). The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Peru program announced today the discovery of 365 species previously undocumented in Bahuaja Sonene National Park (BSNP) in southeastern Peru.
  
  Fifteen researchers participated in the inventory focusing on plant life, insects, birds, mammals, and reptiles.
  
  The discovery included: thirty undocumented bird species, including the black-and-white hawk eagle, Wilson’s phalarope, and ash colored cuckoo; two undocumented mammals – Niceforo’s big-eared bat and the Tricolored Bat; as well as 233 undocumented species of butterflies and moths.
  
  
  According to Eurasia Review, this expedition was especially important because it was the first time that research of this scale has been carried out in Bahuaja Sonene National Park since it was created in 1996.
  
  
  WCS Director of Latin America and Caribbean Programs, Julie Kunen, said the discovery of even more species in this park underscores the importance of ongoing conservation work in this region.
  
  "This park is truly one of the crown jewels of Latin America’s impressive network of protected areas," she said.
  
  
  BSNP contains more than 600 bird species including seven different types of macaw, more than 180 mammal species, more than 50 reptiles and amphibian species, 180 fish varieties, and 1,300 types of butterfly.
  
  
  Since the 1990s, the Wildlife Conservation Society has been working in Tambopata and Bahuaja Sonene Parks in Peru, and Madidi, Pilon Lajas, and Apolobamba Parks in neighboring Bolivia.
  
  The tranboundary region, known as the Greater Madidi Landscape, spans more than 15,000 square miles of the tropical Andes and is considered to be the most biodiverse region on earth.
  
  
  WCS has helped form more than 20 community-based enterprises in the area that promote the sustainable use of natural resources, such as native honey, subsistence hunting and fishing, ornamental fish cultivation, cacao, handicrafts, and timber. More than 3,000 local people benefit from these community initiatives.

Passenger traffic on international flights rose 14.31% in 2011
 

• ANDINA/Rubén Grández

• Lima, Feb. 03 (ANDINA). International passenger traffic totaled 5 million passengers throughout 2011, a 14.31 percent increase compared to 2010 (five million passengers), the Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) reported Thursday.
  
  
  Only in December, 486,183 passengers were transported, representing an increase of 7.75 percent from 451,205 passengers the same month a year earlier.
  
  
  The number of passengers transported in December in the last ten years had an upward trend until 2008. In 2009, it dropped 0.25 percent and then it recovered teh following year.
  
  
  The largest number of passengers was registered in 2011, amounting 486,183 passengers. However, the highest percentage growth rate recorded in this decade was in 2007 rise and posted a rise of 23.30 percent.
  
  
  In December 2011, the main destinations included cities like Santiago de Chile with 66,986 passengers (up 36,96 percent), Miami (United States) with 47,966 passengers (4.88 percent), Buenos Aires (Argentina) with 41,668 passengers (-7.32 percent) and Madrid (Spain) with 39,755 passengers (-4.72 percent).

• President of the Peruvian Sports Institute (IPD), Francisco Boza. Photo: ANDINA/Juan Carlos Guzmán Negrini.

• Lima, Feb. 02 (ANDINA). President of the Peruvian Sports Institute (IPD), Francisco Boza, on Thursday announced that the government has submitted its official request to host part of the next Dakar Rally.
  “The Minister of Foreign Trade (Jose Luis Silva) was on Monday in Paris. The official application has been sent so that Peru can take part in this competition,” Boza told Andina news agency.
  
  
  Boza noted that Chile will host the competition's finish, while Argentina is also a candidate. Therefore, the minister said that Peru will likely be part of 2013 Dakar Rally.
  
  
  “First of all, the impact Dakar had in our country is been evaluated,” he added.
  
  
  In addition, Minister Silva met with Dakar Rally organizers, French company ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation), to present Peru as a possible candidate to host Dakar Rally next year.

• Photo: ANDINA/Jack Ramón

• Lima, Feb. 01 (ANDINA). Entrepreneurs, bar representatives and experts in spirituous beverages from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Beijing (China) will be able to try Peru’s national drink Pisco for the first time during a Pisco promotion mission in Asia to be held from February 9 to 22 this year.

  Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board Promperu, which organizes said event with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), aims to promote sales of this grape-based liquor said beverage in the most demanding international markets.

  Luis Torres, exports director at Promperu, said they have invited importers and distributors of alcoholic beverages and fine distillates, representatives of the most important bars and night clubs in each area, beverage managers at first class hotels and restaurants.

  Moreover, international sommelier associations and beverage tasters, diplomats, entrepreneurs and specialized media will also attend said event.

  The national delegation is comprised of Agricola del Valle Pacaran, which will offer Pisco Guizado Portillo, and Agro Mistral with Pisco Payet.

  In addition, it will count with the participation of E. Copello, Santiago Queirolo, Viña Tacama, Picasso de Vista Alegre, Bianca, Biondi, Cascajal, Casta del Inka, Fundo Navas de Tolosa, Hacienda del Abuelo, Qollqe and Porton.

Arequipa joins Pisco Sour Day celebrations
 

• Photo:ANDINA/Rocio Mendez

• Arequipa, Jan. 31 (ANDINA). People in Arequipa now have one more reason to go to church this Saturday, after local authorities announced that 4,000 glasses of Pisco Sour will be distributed free of charge at the entrance of the city's cathedral.

  A municipal spokesman said that the event is being held to commemorate the Pisco Sour Day, celebrated throughout the country on the first Saturday in February.

  He stated that the 2nd Pisco Sour Festival seeks to promote the consumption of this national cocktail containing pisco, lemon or lime juice, egg whites, simple syrup, and bitters.

  Starting at 10 am, the festival will also showcase several musical bands and dance groups from Arequipa.

  Local distilleries Unidas, Pisco Paz Soldán, Pisco Postigo, Pisco Majes Tradición and La Hacienda del Abuelo will take part in the event.

Lima restaurant is the first London venture from Peru's Virgilio Martinez
Second Peruvian restaurant opens in London
 

• Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez to open a new restaurant in London next spring.

• London, Jan. 31 (ANDINA). Set to open in the neighbourhood of Fitzrovia (England) at the end of May, Lima restaurant is the first London venture from Peru's Virgilio Martinez, chef-patron of the Central fine-dining restaurant in the Peruvian capital, and his partners the Gonzales brothers.
  
  
  Named after its capital, Lima will be a modern, fine-dining restaurant, showcasing the globally-influenced cuisine of Peru, with a focus on seafood including ceviche, caterersearch.com reported.
  
  
  The 80-seat restaurant will be spread over two floors featuring a bar area, offering Peru's signature Pisco cocktail and an informal menu, as well as a 40-seat formal dining room.
  
  
  The kitchen will be headed up by Robert Ortis, with general manager Gabriel Gonzales managing the restaurant. Interiors will be developed by March & White, featuring organic and natural elements including wood.
  
  
  Commenting on the launch, Martinez told Catererandhotelkeeper.com: "We want to give a few examples of traditional Peruvian cuisine but we also want to show what's happening in Lima right now. In the past five years there has been a huge development in the restaurant scene there, which is really cosmopolitan now.
  
  
  "We will work with local suppliers here but I have many local producers in Peru and I want to bring some of their amazing produce here such as organic cacao, coffee, chilli, herbs and potatoes that people here in London don't know about."
  
  
  Martinez previously worked in London at the Ritz as well as in Spain at the late Santi Santamaria's three-Michelin-starred Can Fabes and at Astrid y Gaston in Madrid where he was executive chef. In 2008, he opened Central in Lima.
  
  
  Lima will be the second Peruvian restaurant to open in London this year after Ceviche, which will open in March.

Nasca to boost tourist arrivals this year
 

• Photo: ANDINA / Archive.

• Nazca, Jan. 30 (ANDINA). Peruvian tourism officials in Nasca, famous for the mysterious geoglyphs etched into the desert centuries ago, will intensify efforts to turn around declining tourist arrivals to this central-southern town.

  Elizabeth Scarpati, head of the Nasca Chamber of Tourism, said Monday that her office will focus on the recovery of the local tourism industry, which was severely affected by accidents involving planes flying over the Nasca Lines.

  Scarpati recalled that four years ago Nasca received about 400 tourists daily –mostly from European countries- and over 50 percent of them used to fly over the enigmatic geoglyphs.

  "Now the number of visitors nearly reaches 100 per day and there are fewer flights," she pointed out.

  Scarpati noted that plane crashes had a negative impact on the tourist activity and blamed some local companies for poor maintenance of the planes.

  “The responsible are the ones who granted the flight licenses and the airline’s owners as they didn’t carry out the proper maintenance of the planes,” she said.

  Moreover, she said that they will do everything possible to build a modern airport in coordination with regional authorities and from Lima.

• Photo:ANDINA/Jack Ramon

• Lima, Jan. 30 (ANDINA). Tourists entering Peru through the Santa Rosa border crossing in Tacna will be welcomed with the country's national drink, Pisco Sour.

  The regional government of Tacna said that the free tasting event will be held this Friday on the occasion of Pisco Sour Day, which is celebrated the first Saturday in February.

  Tacna’s Regional Association of Wine and Pisco Producers will be preparing and serving the popular foamy drinks while visitors enjoy traditional Peruvian music and dance upon their arrival.

  This initiative seeks to strengthen national identity and the value of the country’s flagship drink which is made with pisco, lemon juice, ice, egg whites and angostura bitters.

  Peruvians commemorate the Pisco Sour as their national cocktail with official celebrations on the 1st Saturday of February since 2004, according to the Production Ministry Supreme Decree N° 161-2004.

• Choquequirao archeological complex. Photo: ANDINA/Archive

• Cusco, Jan. 29 (ANDINA). The paths to the archaeological site of Choquequirao in Cusco's Santa Teresa district now have camping areas and tourism services for a better visitor experience.

  The regional government said that the works were carried out through the Copesco plan in response to increasing tourist visits to the area.

  The local population manages these places directly according to the agreement signed between the Copesco plan, the regional government of Cusco, the town of Santa Teresa and communities.

  Choquequirao consists of nine groups of buildings of stone terraces, rooms and irrigation systems, distributed around a town square.

  It could be one of the lost cities in the valley of Vilcabamba, where the Incas took refuge in 1536.