12:43 | Paracas (Ica region), Aug. 2.
The recent national holidays that commemorated Peru's Independence Day were a great success as they marked the beginning of tourism recovery in the Paracas beach area (Ica region), with the arrival of at least 30,000 tourists.
Most visitors headed to the Paracas National Reserve and Ballestas Islands, which has generated great expectation mainly among inhabitants and the productive economic sector.
This was revealed by Tourism and Foreign Trade Chamber (Capatur) Chairman Eduardo Jauregui, who noted that visitors —monthly from the Peruvian capital Lima (90%)— packed hotels and apartments as they enjoyed the local seafood.
Jauregui estimates that lodging, food, short trips, and drives throughout the week of Independence Day have generated around US$5 million in revenue for the district of
Paracas.
"What has happened in Paracas is much bigger (by 150%) than what was reported in the same period of 2019 and only comparable to the revenues recorded during Holy Week or New Year celebrations," the business leader explained.
The entrepreneur affirmed that the presence of tourists in Paracas and in other destinations throughout the national territory is sparking the beginning of the tourism recovery in Peru.
"In the case of Paracas, tourists choose to visit the Ballestas Islands and the Paracas National Reserve, which includes La Mina, Lagunilla, El Raspon, and Mendieta beaches. The nice weather and sunny days contributed to the attraction of visitors," he pointed out.
In addition, he noted that another important aspect of their visit was the wide range of seafood that Paracas has to offer.
The most popular dishes among tourists were arroz con mariscos, an array of ceviches, conchitas a la parmesana, pejerrey arrebozado, chicharron de pescado, and jalea de pescado.
(END) NDP/JCB/TMC/RMB
Published: 8/2/2021