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6,000 Brazilian tourists to visit Machu Picchu by late-2010

Tourists at the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, in Cusco.
Photo: ANDINA / Percy Hurtado.

Lima, Oct. 04 (ANDINA). A group of 6,000 Brazilian tourists will visit Machu Picchu and other attractions in Cusco by the end of this year, thanks to an agreement signed by Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism and Cusco’s Regional Directorate for Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur).
The head of Dircetur, Victor Cevallos, said that tourism promotion activities held in Cusco a week before World Tourism Day celebrations on Sept. 27 helped attract the interest of Brazilian authorities.

He mentioned that tour operators presented offers to boost visitor arrivals from the neighboring South American giant.

"In the last years, more Argentine and Brazilian tourists are arriving in the region and the number will further increase with the recently-signed agreements," said Cevallos.

“Machu Picchu is a specific destination, but we want to promote other sites so we are jointly working with tour operators that offer quality accommodation, transport, tours, among other services,” he added.

Peru's tourist attractions to be promoted in Canada, Italy

Lake Titicaca, Amazon River and Colca Valley .

Lima, Oct. 04 (ANDINA). Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board (Promperu) will be taking part in a roadshow in Canada and in TTG Incontri 2010 in Italy.
According to Promperu, the two events will be a great opportunity to promote the country's tourist attractions including archaeological, cultural and historical sites.

The Canada Roadshow will be held in Toronto and Montreal on October 19-21 and is open to tour operators and travel agencies.

The goal is to provide attendees with specialized and up-to-date information on Peru's tourist attractions to successfully promote diverse tours throughout the country.

The 47th edition of TTG Incontri, the most important b2b international trade fair in the tourism sector in Italy, will be held on 22-23-24 October 2010 at Rimini Fiera.

Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) will send a group of Promperu officials to both Italy and Canada this month.

World Bank congratulates Peru on economic progress

Peruvian President Alan Garcia meets with World Bank
Managing Director Sri Mulyani Indrawati in Lima. Photo: Sepres.

Lima, Oct. 02 (ANDINA). World Bank Managing Director Sri Mulyani Indrawati congratulated the Peruvian government on its achievements in economic progress. After holding a meeting with Peruvian President Alan Garcia late Friday, Ms. Indrawati said that Peru can share its successful experience with many middle-income countries in Latin America and other regions in the world.

At the same time, she said, Peru can also learn from many other middle-income countries around the world to maintain a good momentum of economic growth and stability as well as reduce poverty.

Sri Mulyani Indrawati noted that Peru is a strategic partner of the World Bank and “we expect to continue this productive partnership,” she said.

During their meeting, Indrawati said she and President Garcia discussed about the World Bank's role and how the bank can become a partner of the government.

"It is very important to exchange experiences of how a country facing many developing problems improves the welfare of the people."

Ms. Indrawati is responsible for the bank's operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East and North Africa.

She is also in charge of other vice presidencies and administrative functions including Information Systems Group, vice president of Integrity, and the Office of Evaluation and Suspension.

Before joining the World Bank, Indrawati was Indonesia’s Finance Minister, where she successfully led the economic policy of one of the largest countries of Southeast Asia and one of the largest states during the global crisis.

Kotosh archaeological site draw record 25,000 visitors in Jan-Aug

Kotosh archaeological temple. Photo: ANDINA/archive

Huanuco, Oct. 02 (ANDINA). January-August 2010 was a record-breaking period for the Kotosh archaeological site located in Huanuco region in Peru’s central highlands, with tours attracting some 25 million visitors, a growing trend compared to the previous year, according to the Regional Director of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Jose Castro.
“Some 25,000 visitors were recorded by the end of 2009, but this figure was already reached in August, which suggests that around 35,000 tourists will have visited the site by December,” he told Andina news agency.

The extraordinary growth can be attributed to two factors: the tourist route “Huanuco, adventure and mystery to your fingertips” launched by Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board (Promperu) six months ago and; the new asphalted highway Huanuco - Kotosh.

He noted that 95 percent of visitors came from Lima, followed by Junin (Huancayo), Ancash, Pasco and Ucayali as well as from the United States and Canada.

Casa Andina to open 4-star hotel in Lima next year

Casa Andina Private Collection located in Arequipa.

Lima, Oct. 1 (ANDINA). Peruvian chain Casa Andina Hotels announced the opening of their first hotel under the Select format (four stars) in March 2011, which is being built in the Limean district of Miraflores.
Casa Andina Hotels general manager Juan Stoessel indicated that this project is being carried out at the fourth block of Schell street, a block away from the 5-star hotel Casa Andina Private Collection Miraflores.

“Now that the crisis is over and after a difficult year, we’ve begun to reactivate our investment projects. Thus, we plan to open our new product which is Casa Andina Select during the next year,” he told Andina.

Stoessel explained that this new format will be part of the Private Collection and Classic hotels in terms of attention and infrastructure.

According to the general manager, the hotel will have 155 rooms in 11 floors, a spa and a gym, among other services.

Foreign athletes support Amazon River's natural-wonder bid

The Great River Amazon Raft Race covered 112 miles (180 km).
Photo: Dircetura

Iquitos, Sep. 30 (ANDINA). Top rafting teams from the U.S., Canada, Israel and Iran agreed Wednesday to support a bid to make the Amazon River one of the world's seven new wonders of nature.

The foreign athletes participated in the 12th annual Great River Amazon Raft Race in Iquitos, Peru. They spent three grueling days paddling a home-made balsa raft down the Amazon, from Nauta to Iquitos, covering 112 miles (180 km) along the way.

“They have promised to help us promote voting for the Amazon River in their countries,” said regional trade, tourism and handicraft director Mauro Guimet.

Guimet said that this increasingly popular race, the longest annual raft race in the world, served to raise awareness of the importance of the Amazon River basin to our planet.

“The race was successfully held with the local teams finishing in first place. The international teams received prizes for their enthusiasm and participation,” he added.

Orient-Express to open sixth hotel in Peru

Beaterio de Las Nazarenas in Cusco, southern Peru.

Lima, Sep. 30 (ANDINA). Orient-Express Hotels Trains & Cruises will open a five-star hotel in Cusco, its sixth in Peru, by the first quarter of 2012, the company's Managing Director Laurent Carrasset announced Wednesday.

The British luxury hotel and travel company will invest some US$ 16 million in remodeling the Beaterio de Las Nazarenas, under a 30-year concession granted by the Congregation of the Carmelite Sisters.

With a total area of 5000 square meters, the hotel facilities will include 54 suites, a gym, spa services, a heated swimming pool, beauty salon, restaurant, a conference room, among others.

According to Carraset, Orient-Express is also considering hotel projects in northern Peru and near Lake Titicaca in Puno.

According to Australian Food News
Peru: a gastro-tourist’s newest thrill

Peru’s cuisine has a unique mix of Western and Eastern
cultural traditions. Photo: ANDINA / Stephanie Zollner.

Lima, Sep. 29 (ANDINA). Peruvian cuisine, once unknown on the world stage, has increasingly become a reason to visit the country for travellers around the globe.
According to Australian Food News, experiencing Peru through its cuisine guarantees an exotic bounty of tastes and aromas, which synthesises with the multiculturalism rooted in the rich and fascinating history of this country.

Peru’s cuisine has a unique mix of Western and Eastern cultural traditions, reflected in its Spanish style soups and stews, Arab sweets and desserts, African contributions to Creole cooking and Italian pastas.

It also misx Japanese preparations of fish and shellfish, and Chinese culinary methods, cradle of one of the most popular gastronomic traditions in Peru: Chifa.

This original blend of traditions, together with the supply of ingredients from Peru’s distinctive ecological and climatic diversity, has given birth to recipes such as cebiche (raw fish cooked with lemon juice), pachamanca (meat and vegetables cooked underground), chupe de camarones (shrimp soup), ají de gallina (spicy chicken) and juane (cornmash tamales).

“Nearly 50% of the people who come to Peru have considered food as a factor in their decision to visit the country,” said Rafael Noriega from Peru’s National Tourism Board.

The Gastronomic Revolution evolving out of Peru has also arrived in Australia, where Peruvian Chef Alejandro Saravia organises culinary tours to Peru. The tours begin in Sydney with cooking classes and a degustation night, before embarking on a two week gourmet journey to Peru.

Peru’s popularity as a culinary destination was reflected in the recent Mistura 2010, a gastronomic festival celebrated in Lima from the 7th to the 12th of September, where 200,000 visitors attended.

Ever since Lima was named “Gastronomic Capital of the Americas” in the Fourth International Summit of Gastronomy Madrid Fusion 2006, its culinary scene has gone from strength to strength.

Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio was recently selected as one of the world’s best chefs “for his extraordinary culinary vision to innovate Peruvian cuisine”.

Acurio is regarded as one of the nine most influential chefs in the world, and has become part of the International Advisory Council of the Basque Culinary Center (BBC), led by Spanish chef Ferran Adriá.

Northern beaches among attractive tourist spots promoted by Mincetur

Mancora, Piura.

Lima, Sep. 29 (ANDINA). Peru's northern beaches, located in Piura and Tumbes, are among the popular tourist destinations promoted by Peru’s Trade and Tourism Ministry (Mincetur), said Eduardo Ferreyros, government official in charge of the tourism portfolio.
Statements were made at the opening ceremony of a modern seafront built in Mancora through the Executive Direction of Copesco Plan with an investment of over 3 million soles.

The 167 meter-long project includes paving and an open-air shaded walkway, highlighted Oscar Ruiz, head of the small-scale traders association serving the area.

The minister said second phase works will begin within the next 60 days, and will be carried out along the beaches of Mancora and Las Pocitas.

Ferreyros was accompanied by National Tourism Development director Claudia Cornejo, mayor Martin Patrias, Piura’s governor Cesar Delgadillo, among other authorities

UK celebrities trek Inca Trail in Peru

Tourists trek Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Cusco.
Photo: ANDINA / Promperú/Alejandro Balaguer

Cusco, Sep. 29 (ANDINA). Gap year travellers heading to Peru can quite literally follow in the footsteps of celebrities like Fearne Cotton and Denise Van Outen.
The TV presenters and their celebrity comrades Alexandra Burke, Amanda Byram and Gabriella Cilmi have set off on a gruelling trek along the Inca Trail to the ancient city of Machu Picchu to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

They are joined by six courageous women who have all been diagnosed with breast cancer in the last five years, i-to-i.com reports.

During their nine-day hike they will be traversing snow-capped mountains over 4,000 metres above sea level, camping in sub-zero temperatures and enduring sweltering rainforest heat.

After a hard day of trekking, Burke, Cotton, Van Outen, Cilmi and Total Wipeout’s Byram also took time out from from the celebrity charity trek to cool off in a local shower today.

Travellers eager to visit Machu Picchu can follow the same route on their gap year, possibly also raising money for a charity of their choice.

In a recent article for the online travel guide BootsnAll, writer Adam Seper said he Inca Trail was one of the world's best treks.

Peru’s Colca Canyon a must-see destination

Colca Canyon in Arequipa, Peru. Photo: ANDINA/Archive

Arequipa, Sep. 28 (ANDINA). A trip to the Colca Canyon in Peru is a must for any gap year travellers visiting the country, it has been suggested.
In an article for the online travel guide BootsnAll, writer Adam Seper explained that it is the deepest canyon in the world – twice the depth of the Grand Canyon.

"The ruggedness of Colca is a sight to behold, and the fact that there are families, communities and even churches at the bottom of the canyon is one of the most impressive things about descending below the rim here," he remarked.

Travellers can also catch a glimpse of the condor – one of the biggest birds in the world – in the Colca Canyon, i-to-i.com reported.

Mr Seper said that while the altitude can be a problem for some people, anyone should be able to hike in the area, provided they acclimiatise first.

He pointed out that the Colca Canyon can be visited all year round and treks can be spread over two days or three.

Peru's tourist attractions to be promoted in Brazil next month

Tourists visit the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
Photo: ANDINA/Percy Hurtado.

Lima, Sep. 28 (ANDINA). Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board (Promperu) and a group of local companies will participate in next month's Fair of the Americas - ABAV 2010, the biggest and most important tourism event held in the Americas.
According to Peru's Trade and Tourism Ministry, Promperu and 18 tourism-related companies will attend the three-day event with the aim of boosting the image of Peru as a diverse and multi-faceted destination.

The event, to be held on October 20-22 2010 at the Riocentro Convention Center in Rio de Janeiro, is the most striking and leading event dedicated to tourism industry in the Americas.

The fair brings together more than 24,000 professionals beneath a single roof, providing them an excellent platform to prop up their business by contacting with 800 exhibitors and foreign delegations from across 40 countries.

The trade show has the reputation of accumulating a huge number of big names, brands and businesses of the tourism sector as it will provide the exhibitors a fabulous opportunity to present their new launches and novelties, discover new markets and sectors, network with new and existing clients, get exposure as well as take on market research in order to achieve development.

Peru’s Inca Trail ‘one of the world’s best treks’

Inca Trails in Cusco.

Cusco, Sep. 28 (ANDINA). Gap year travellers visiting Peru can embark on one of the best treks in the world – the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
In an article for the online travel guide BootsnAll, writer Adam Seper said the Incas took the very same route to the sacred city over 500 years ago.

"Many of the same steps along the trail remain, along with a plethora of other ruins," he remarked.

Mr Seper claimed that the highlight of the journey is the Sun Gate, where hikers catch their first glimpse of Machu Picchu as the sun rises.

"Walking through the Sun Gate and glimpsing the infamous Lost City of the Incas was one of the most powerful moments of my life," he insisted.

The writer recommended booking a place on an Inca Trail tour with a reputable company well in advance to avoid disappointment, i-to-i.com reports.

He also advised travellers to purchase suitable hiking gear, including trekking poles if possible.

Lambayeque develops strategic plan to promote tourism

Huaca Rajada - Sipán site museum in Lambayeque.
Photo: ANDINA / Alberto Orbegoso

Chiclayo, Sep. 27 (ANDINA). The Regional Government of Lambayeque in northern Peru approved the Regional Tourism Strategic Plan (Pertur) focused on eight tourist routes and created by the Regional Tourism Council (CRT).
The resolution No 359-2010 was signed by the Regional Vice-president Luis Becerra following the plan presentation.

The norm also approves the 2010-2012 operative plan established by CRT, regional body headed by Salvador Hoyos Perez.

Pertur seeks to consolidate Lambayeque and North Amazon macro region sites as safe, competitive and sustainable destinations both in the domestic and international markets.

According to Tourism Regional Director Salvador Hoyos, strategic objectives include tourism culture development and Lambayeque promotion, among others.

Tourist routes cover most of Lambayeque districts and the idea is to encourage tourists to stay overnight in each site.

Peru attracts luxury tourists from US for third year in a row

Travel Mart Latin America (TMLA) 2010 held in Lima.
Photo: ANDINA/Carlos Lezama

Lima, Sep. 26 (ANDINA). Peru attracted numerous luxury tourists from the United States for third year in a row after a successful campaign, which translates into growing annual flow of tourists seeking high-cost travel experiences, Peru’s Export and Tourism Promotion Board (Promperu) reported.

According to Promperu’s Incoming Tourism Coordinator for the United States and UK, Elisabeth Hakim, the average American tourist spends 1,290 soles (about 464 US dollars) and visits the country mainly attracted by the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu in Cusco.

Statistics reveal that luxury visitors mainly come from Florida, California and New York, markets that are not yet fully covered.

According to official data, American tourist arrivals up to 377,232 in 2009, a 1.7% increase despite the fact that the United States is just coming out of a crisis.

Pisco festival to mark 'Criolla Music Day' in Lima

The four-day festival in Lima will feature more than 400 pisco
producers. Photo: ANDINA/Juan Carlos Guzmán Negrini

Lima, Sep. 25 (ANDINA). A four-day festival of pisco is being organised in the Peruvian capital next month to commemorate the 'Criolla Music Day' and to further promote the consumption of Peru's national drink.
This year, the National Festival and Contest will take place from October 29 to November 1 at the Plaza San Miguel shopping center, with the sponsorship of Peru's Ministry of Production and the National Commission of Pisco (Conapisco).

According to event organizers, the well-attended festival will be a great opportunity to celebrate the Día de la Canción Criolla, or Criolla Music Day, on October 31.

"Pisco is already linked to our cuisine and tourism, so now it is the turn for our Música Criolla," said Conapisco's President Jose Luis Chiroma, who added that over 20,000 people and 400 pisco producers are expected to participate in the annual event.

Música Criolla

In a tradition that dates back to 1944, most Peruvians celebrate the Criolla Music Day on October 31 every year.

Throughout Latin America, the term "criollismo" originally referred to the descendants of Spanish settlers, but it subsequently came to designate that which was distinctively local.

In the case of Peru, it designates the people and culture of the coastal region (as opposed to the Andean highlands) and of Lima in particular.

It was on the coast that the Spaniards founded their capital, where most of their settlement was concentrated and where their culture took deepest root.

The most popular style of Peru's "criolla" music is the Marinera, said to be the national dance of Peru. Other main genres are the Peruvian Waltz, Tondero, Festejo, Polka, Zamacueca, Landó, among other traditional dances.

Loreto hosts annual raft race across the Amazon river

Raft race across Amazon river. Photo: Dircetura

Lima, Sep. 25 (ANDINA). The 12th International Raft Race across the Amazon river started Thursday with a tour of the main sights of Iquitos, capital of Loreto region. Some 48 local and international teams will compete in the races.
According to the Regional Trade and Tourism Director Mauro Guimet, this year's race has attracted many competitive teams and riders from all over the world, including the US, Canada, Israel and Iran.

As part of the event, teams were escorted to Nauta city, where local authorities had organized a welcome party for them

Then, participants headed to Pescadores island, where they’re given the necessary tools to prepare their rafts.

Today they cross the final stretch into the town of Tamshiyacu, where attendees will be able to enjoy an artistic show,” Guimet told Andina news agency.

The awarding ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, the final day of the race, at 15:00 hours (local time).

Members include all competitors, supporters and friends of the Great Amazon River Raft Race, Iquitos, Perú - a grueling raft race of 112 miles over 3 days on the Amazon River on team-made balsa log rafts.

Peruvian cuisine bolsters tour package sales at TravelMart

The Pisco Sour is the national cocktail of Peru.
Photo: ANDINA/Carlos Lezama

Lima, Sep. 24 (ANDINA). The increasingly world-renowned Peruvian cuisine has proven to be instrumental in the marketing, promotion and sales of tour packages to Peru during TravelMart Latin America, which ends today in Lima.

Peru's Hotel Society (SHP) said that, in addition to Machu Picchu, our national gastronomy is one of the main key factors for successful sales in the Peruvian stands at this three-day event, being held at the Real Felipe Fortress in Callao.

SHP told Andina that TravelMart is "a great opportunity to promote Peru in a more effective way as it allows foreign tour operators to experience first-hand the country's hospitality, cuisine and archaeological treasures."

The hotel association noted that a proof of the local cuisine's growing popularity throughout the world is that "when operators see or hear something Peru, they often relate it to good food and remember specialties such as ceviche and pisco sour."

“Peru is a popular destination for European, Asian and American tourists who want to enjoy a unique adventure and amazing culinary delights at the same time,” SHP added.

Kokatat sponsors whitewater expedition of Peru’s Huallaga River

Huallaga River passing by the Tingo Maria province in
northern Peru. Photo: ANDINA /Archivo.

Ucayali, Sep. 24 (ANDINA). Kokatat, the 39 year-old independent paddle wear and accessories company, announces their support to outfit an expedition of kayakers attempting the first descent of the last major un-run tributary of the Amazon River, the Pongo De Aguirre Gorge on the Rio Huallaga, in Peru. The expedition team departed for the remote rivers of Peru on Sept. 23, 2010.
The expedition team is comprised of seven experienced Class V+ whitewater paddlers from the USA. Kokatat is supporting the team with top-quality gear such as the Rogue Dry Top and Ronin Pro PFD. Expedition leader, Matt Wilson, has completed many first descents all over the world, including Peru. Wilson returns to Peru with Ben Luck, Ryan Casey, Evan Ross, Matt Klema, Nate Klema, and Fred Coriell to attempt the first successful descent of the Rio Haullaga.

Described as the last major tributary of the South American Amazon River, the Pongo De Aguirre Gorge has been previously attempted by two teams of paddlers. Variables such as weather, rising water, low supplies, inept scouting, and huge whitewater forced both teams to abort their mission. Wilson’s crew has implemented an expedition strategy, learning from the experiences of the prior attempts, by making the descent in the height of the dry season and preparing for over two weeks on the water with plenty of supplies and equipment.

“If successful, we will have paddled nearly 100 miles and dropped 4000 feet from the Andes to the Peruvian Jungle,” said expedition kayaker, Nate Klema.

As always, Kokatat continues to support experienced paddlers attempting first descents and expeditions. The company proudly provides the athletes with the best paddling gear in the whitewater industry.

US, UK and Canada largest buyers of tourist packages in TMLA 2010

SHP General Manager Tibisay Monsalve.
Photo: ANDINA / Jéssica Vicente

Lima, Set. 23 (ANDINA). US, UK and Canada are the largest buyers of tourist packages in Travel Mart Latin America (TMLA) 2010, , and in which Peru has the most sellers, reported Peru's Hotel Sociey (SHP).
The event being held in Lima is attended by 361 delegates and 641 buyers sellers, while each company has between 60 and 80 prescheduled appointments, said SHP General Manager Tibisay Monsalve.

"The largest sellers are Peru, with 56 companies and 166 delegates and Ecuador, while the largest buyers are the United States with 166 companies, the United Kingdom with 31, Canada with 23, Australia with 14, Brazil with 13 and Italy with 12", she told Andina.

One important thing about this TMLA edition is that Latin American companies from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, came not only with sellers of tourist packages but also buyers, which is quite interesting.

"All participating countries understand that in the short-term, their businesses should be focussed in the region, that's why they are interested in buying packages in these destinations," she said.

Panel discussion on Peru's pre-Columbian Art held today in New York

Art and Myth in Ancient Peru: The History of the
Jequetepeque Valley.

Lima, Sep. 23 (ANDINA). A panel discussion on "Pre-Columbian Art from the Jequetepeque Valley" will be held Thursday at the Americas Society venue in New York, as part of an exhibition on the history of the Peruvian valley, located in northern Peru.

The event will be chaired by Cecilia Pardo Grau, Curator of Collections and Pre-Columbian Art at Museo de Arte Lima (MALI), and Jeffrey Quilter, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology, Harvard University.

This exhibition, which runs from September 13 to October 23, is organized by the MALI and presents an important selection of pre-Columbian objects that span from the time of the Cupisnique Culture to the Inca conquest.

The pieces exhibited were produced for over 3,000 years in the Jequetepeque Valley, which maintained a unique character, distinguishing it from other areas along the northern coast.

At different times in its history, the Jequetepeque Valley formed part of the Mochica, Lambayeque, and Chimú states, and finally, of the Inca Empire.

The societies that flourished there maintained certain autonomy with respect to these great developments.

Their social organization and pottery styles thus preserved specific and differentiated cultural characteristics and represent a system of beliefs based on a universe of images and symbols that are expressed in the pieces exhibited, many of which are considered masterpieces of pre-Columbian art.

This exhibition features pieces from the Oscar Rodriguez Razzetto Collection in Pacasmayo, recently acquired by MALI, complemented by artifacts from recent archeological excavations in the Jequetepeque Valley.

Together, they provide an overview of the valley’s development over time and bring new meaning to the pieces by focusing on the region, contributing important and innovative scholarship on the subject.

The event will take place at 18:30 hours (New York time) at Americas Society, located on 680 Park Avenue, New York.

President Garcia attends 65th Session of UN General Assembly

Peru's President Alan Garcia walks to board in a commercial
flight to New York. Photo: ANDINA/Rubén Grández

Lima, Sep. 22 (ANDINA). Peru’s President Alan Garcia left the country for New York to attend the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he will determine how close Peru is to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
The head of state will participate in this important event accompanied by Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde, and Environment, Antonio Brack.

Garcia Perez boarded in a commercial flight to New York around midnight and his arrival at the airport John F. Kennedy was scheduled for 8:35 am (local time).

The sixty-fifth ordinary session opened on Tuesday, 14 September 2010, at 3 p.m.

The theme of the general debate will be "Reaffirming the central role of the United Nations in global governance", as proposed by the President-elect.

His Excellency Mr. Joseph Deiss of Switzerland is the President of the sixty-fifth session of the General Assembly.

The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations.

It provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter.

The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

Trujillo to host fifth edition of Dulce Peru contest

Dulce Trujillo will be held on September 25 from 10:00
hours at the Plaza Recreo. Photo: ANDINA / Victor Palomino.

Trujillo, Sep. 21 (ANDINA). Trujillo, capital of northern Peru's La Libertad region, will host the fifth edition of the Dulce Peru 2010, which consists of a series of contests to pick the country's most delectable and innovative desserts.
The event will be held on September 25 from 10:00 hours at the Plaza Recreo in Trujillo. The winning dessert will be awarded the Cucharon de plata (Silver ladle) prize.

“After its success in Piura, Arequipa, Chiclayo and Cusco, I’m sure this fifth edition in Trujillo will be another complete success thanks to the support of local authorities and people,” said Elizabeth Du-Bois, general manager of event organizer GGD Comunicaciones.

Registration is conducted at the Municipality of Trujillo and is open to housewives, gastronomy students, restaurants, hotels, etc.

Air France announces non-stop Paris-Lima service

Air France will fly from Paris to Lima five days a week.

Paris, Sep. 21 (ANDINA). Air France announced Tuesday it will be offering five weekly frequencies between Paris and Lima starting in June 2011.
According to a press release, there will be 5 weekly flights to Lima by Boeing 777-200 equipped with 309 seats, every day except Monday and Wednesday.

The new service will leave Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport at 10:35 and arrive in Lima at 15:50 while the return flight will leave Lima at 19:25 and arrive at Paris CDG at 14:25.

"Peru is an up-and-coming tourist destination. Together with the daily flight operated on departure from Amsterdam, Air France and KLM will be offering 12 weekly flights between Europe and Lima," said the company.

The airline also announced there will be 3 weekly flights to Orlando, Florida (on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) by Boeing 777-300 equipped with 472 seats.

230-Room Hilton Lima Miraflores scheduled to open in 2012
Hilton Hotels & Resorts enters Peru with signing of new build Lima hotel
Lima is key to the company's strong presence in South America

Miraflores is the name of an exclusive residential district in
Lima, close to the cultural, commercial, and financial centers
of the city.

Lima, Sep. 20 (ANDINA). Hilton Worldwide has entered into a franchise agreement with JGJ. Proyectistas SAC, a real estate developer based in Lima, to introduce the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand to the Peruvian market with the 230-room new build Hilton Lima Miraflores, which is scheduled to open in Q1 2012.

Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand said this is a period of tremendous global growth for the Hilton brand and this partnership will create an exceptional property in Peru’s capital city.

“With a population exceeding nine million people, Lima is a major market for international travel and key to our strong presence in South America,” he noted.

Already under construction, Hilton Lima Miraflores is located in Miraflores, an upscale area of Lima known for its shopping areas, gardens, flower-filled parks, beaches and fine dining.

The hotel’s close proximity to the MiraCorp Business Corporate Center and a thriving culinary scene makes it ideal for business and leisure travelers. As both the capital and largest city in Peru, rich in history and culture, Lima is an attractive destination.

Ursula Vargas, commercial chief, JGJ Proyectistas SAC said the company is delighted to work in partnership with Hilton Worldwide to bring the first Hilton hotel to Peru.

"With the city of Lima’s ever-increasing demand for upscale accommodations, we are positioned to be the number-one choice for travelers,” she stated.

The hotel will reflect a sophisticated, modern Peruvian esthetic. Guests will have a choice of accommodations with 173 king or double queen rooms, 39 executive rooms, 17 suites, one Presidential suite, and executive floors with concierge service.

It will also provide a great base for events and business travelers, with ten meeting rooms, a business center and a grand ballroom that accommodates 450 people. On premises there will also be a restaurant, lobby bar and Pisco bar, as well as a sky terrace with a pool, spa and fitness center.

Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels.

Its brands are comprised of more than 3,600 hotels and 600,000 rooms in 81 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations.

Hilton Hotels & Resorts is the global leader brand of hospitality and offers more than 530 hotels and resorts across six continents, including 76 countries, more than any other full-service hotel brand.

Peru's gastronomy key factor for tourists, says USA Today

Luxury train service to Machu Picchu.
Photo:ANDINA/Archivo/alberto Orbegoso

Lima, Sep. 20 (ANDINA). Peru’s wonderful cuisine, once fairly unknown on the world stage, is now increasingly a reason for travel for tourists around the world, said USA Today in a special supplement on Peru.

“Some 42% of people who come to Peru have considered food as a factor in their decision to visit the country,” former Trade and Tourism Minister Martin Perez was quoted as saying by the daily.

Peru is in a process of internationalization of its cuisine but also of the development of domestic cuisine, with food festivals such as Mistura.

The government has recognized that Peru has huge untapped potential for tourism and for this reason it is promoting areas such as gastronomic tourism and ecotourism, said the US daily in an article titled Ancient Enchanment.

An increasingly renowned gastronomy and boutique hotels in some of Peru's most beautiful locations draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the country.

One of those locations is Machu Picchu, once again open to visitors after heavy rains flooded the nearby town of Aguas Calientes.

Peru has a great diversity of ecosystems including 84 of the planet’s 114 life zones. There is a remarkable variety of flora and fauna with over 1,730 bird species, 330 species of amphibians, 462 species of mammals, and over 25,000 plant species.

USA Today said that a growing number of companies now offer tours and hotels in the rainforest or among Peru’s traditional rural communities.

Exciting homegrown companies are abundant in Peru’s tourism sector, not least in the hotel industry.

Huacas del Sol y La Luna tour includes handicrafts and gastronomy

Tourists at Huacas del Sol y la Luna archaeological complex.
Photo: ANDINA.

Trujillo, Sep. 18 (ANDINA). The tour through the Huacas del Sol y la Luna and the Huacas de Moche museum -in the northern city of Trujillo- will include a series of experiential activities as part of a new tourist circuit, the archaeological project co-director Santiago Uceda reported.
This initiative entails proposed visits to handicraft workshops such as “Manos Mocheras” and “Rostro Inconcebible”, where tourists will be able to appreciate the craftwork made with the same techniques used by the Mochica civilization over 1,500 years ago.

“They will be part of the crafting process as well. An economic contribution is required in exchange for that experience,” he said.

Moche’s gastronomic wealth is also part of this new tourist circuit, used to teach local culinary tradition in a natural and comfortable environment.

In addition, a tour by the main natural attractions of Moche’s countryside will be carried out so that tourists can enjoy a beautiful landscape as well as the flora and fauna species.

Peru congress approves construction of highway to Machu Picchu

Tourists at the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, in Cusco.
Photo: ANDINA / Percy Hurtado.

Lima, Sep. 18 (ANDINA). Peruvian congress officially passed a law stating that the Machu Picchu – Santa Teresa – Santa Maria highway construction is of public necessity and priority national interest, and approved proposal to conduct studies at Santa Teresa - Mollepata road.
The Law No. 29584 was published in El Peruano official gazette and signed by the Congress President Jorge Zumaeta.

The project of the Machu Picchu-Santa Teresa-Santa Maria highway was unanimously approved by the congress on September 9th.

The highway will become an alternative route to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, currently accessible only by train or by a multi day hike on the Inca Trail.

It will also avoid unfavourable climate events, such as January’s experience when heavy rains and landslides destroyed rail access to the 15th Century Inca ruin, the most visited site in Latin America.

On that occasion, train access to Machu Picchu remained closed until April 1 for safety reasons while the restoration project was under way, resulting in lower tourist arrivals.

Andean condors soaring in Peru

Condor flying over the Colca Canyon in Arequipa, Peru.

Arequipa, Sep. 17 (ANDINA). One of the highlights of adventure trips to Peru is seeing Andean condors in the wild, according to journalist Alisa Opar.
"I knew that they’re the largest raptor in the world, and South America’s largest flying bird—males can weigh a whopping 33 pounds and have a 10-foot-long wingspan—but I didn’t fully appreciate how enormous they are until they soared a mere 20 feet over my head," writes Opar, a senior editor at Audubon.

In her article, she says that to find these magnificent creatures, she went to Colca Canyon in southern Peru's Arequipa region.

"It was an experience of extremes—at 10,725 feet, the canyon is among the deepest in the world, and the condors that live there fly to heights of nearly 3.5 miles. If you go early in the morning, however, you can see them fairly close up at Cruz del Condor, a rocky lookout," she adds.

Peruvian chefs honored with major international award

Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio.
Photo: ANDINA / Juan Carlos Guzman Negrini.

Lima, Sep. 17 (ANDINA). The American Academy of Hospitability Sciences (AAHS) honored Peruvian chefs Gaston Acurio and Rafael Osterling with the Star Diamond Award.
The plaque awarded to Acurio stated “Selected as one of the best chefs all over the world and for his extraordinary culinary vision to innovate the Peruvian cuisine.”

The prize, which was handed over by AAHS international general manager Karen Dixon, was signed by French chef and restaurateur residing in the US Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Italian restaurateur Sirio Maccioni and Italian-German cook Heinz Winkler, with two Michellin stars.

Same gastronomy experts signed the Star Diamond Award granted to chef Rafael Osterling, renowned for his very own culinary excellence, reported El Comercio daily.

The AAHS is the world's premiere organization for awarding excellence in travel, cuisine, luxury products and services. Each year, the Academy bestows its coveted International Star Diamond Award — a recognition that many strive for but few achieve — on superlative establishments that are deemed to be of pinnacle quality.

Peru presents its national drink at Expo Shanghai

Bottles of Peruvian Pisco. Photo: ANDINA/ Archive

Shanghai, Sep. 16 (ANDINA). Peru's national drink, Pisco, was promoted at a special event held in the Expo 2010 Shanghai China yesterday.
A liquor expert from Peru described the history, distillation process, characteristics and consumption of their proud alcohol to the Chinese audience.

The liquor distilled from grapes is produced in the Ica region and got its name from the Pisco city and from a pottery container called Pisco, said Cristina Vallarino, an acclaimed Peruvian Pisco specialist.

There are different kinds of Pisco such as Mosto Verde, Italia, Quebranta, Puro and Acholado. They vary in flavor, aroma, viscosity and appearance due to different grapes, the Expo's website reported.

Americas Food & Beverage Show to feature Peruvian cuisine

In recent years, Peruvian food has become a global cuisine
and is the new darling of the culinary world.
Photo: ANDINA/Archive

Miami, Sep. 16 (ANDINA). The 2010 Americas Food & Beverage Show opens at the Miami Beach Convention Center next month with a gastronomic festival called 'Taste of Peru'.
The food of the Andes will be showcased, for the first time, at this year's Americas Food & Beverage Show on October 23–24, the weekend preceding the trade show (open to the public), and October 26-27, 2010 (trade only) at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

The show organizers, World Trade Center Miami, have partnered with the Peruvian American Chamber of Commerce of South Florida (PACCSF) to bring this new element to fruition, which includes a weekend of cuisine-related activities such as an inauguration cocktail, seminars, dance performances, contests, tastings and cooking demos.

In recent years, Peruvian food has become a global cuisine and is the new darling of the culinary world. In Miami, Florida alone, there's an estimated 135 Peruvian restaurants.

Julio Rodriguez, President of the PACCSF, has made it his mission to promote the innovation and sophistication of the foods and beverages of his native Peru.

As such, in addition to the weekend festivities named above, he will be debuting the Peruvian Pavilion on October 26-27, 2010.

According to Rodriguez, eight companies will be exhibiting at the Peruvian Pavilion with coffees, Piscos, beverages, seafood and other food products.

“Peru has 84 of 104 ecosystems that exist in the world making its ingredients and dishes as varied as the imagination itself,” said Rodriguez.

“Given the Free Trade Agreement between Peru and the United States, working closely with Peru was a natural choice,” said Charlotte Gallogly, President of the World Trade Center Miami. “The participation of countries like Peru underscores the scope and reach of our trade show as we become more and more international and continue to contribute to cross-border trade."

Additionally, two Peruvian chef teams will be competing in the VI Annual Americas Chef Competition scheduled for October 26, 2010.

New Chachapoyan site found in Peru

The site is located on the Atumpucro hill in Luya Province and
features some 150 circular homes and impressive walls.
Photo: ANDINA

Chachapoyas, Sep. 16 (ANDINA). A local explorer and photographer has uncovered an archeological complex full of typical Chachapoyan round structures in the Amazon region.
Martin Chumbe found 'Atumpucro' on a joint expedition with the mayor of the San Juan de Lopecancha district, who is also the owner of the land, presstv.ir reported.

The site is located on the Atumpucro hill in Luya Province and features some 150 circular homes and impressive walls.

Perched on the western side of the Utcubamba River and spaning an area of more than two hectares, the site requires a two-hour drive and then a 40 minute walk from the modern city of Chachapoyas.

Chachapoyas were a group that lived in the cloud forests of the Amazonas region of present-day Peru.

Their architectural model is characterized by circular stone constructions; raised platforms constructed on slopes and decorated walls.

“It is a beautiful place. All the houses have rectangular windows, niches and friezes all around,” Chumbe said.

“The houses are built upon large terraces and there are impressive walls about 50 meters long and 3 meters high,” he explained.

“The architecture and the skilled work that has gone into building the site has allowed the building to survive for all this time despite their precarious location,” Chumbe said.