The number of international tourists arriving in Peru totaled 823,863 in the first quarter of this year, up 3.5% (27,896 more visitors) compared with the same period in 2025, the
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) reported.
"Similarly, this figure represented a 74.7% recovery compared with levels recorded between January and March 2019," the ministry emphasized.
Mincetur said the result was driven largely by arrivals of visitors residing in Chile, amounting to 209,000 tourists (25.3% of the total), followed by the United States with 143,000 (17.4%), Ecuador with 67,000 (8.2%), Bolivia with 53,000 (6.4%), Colombia with 40,000 (4.8%), and Brazil with 33,000 (4.0%).
"These countries together accounted for 66.1% of total arrivals," it underscored.
Regional blocs
At the regional level, Mincetur said tourists residing in South America represented 53.1% of the total, equivalent to 437,000 international visitors.
North America accounted for 22.5% (186,000 tourists), Europe for 15.3% (126,000), Asia for 5.4% (45,000), and Central America for 2.5% (21,000).
Entry routes
Regarding international tourist arrivals through Peru's different migration control points, Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima remained the main gateway, receiving 489,000 foreign visitors (59.4% share).
It was followed by the Santa Rosa Border Control Post in Tacna, which registered 163,000 tourists (19.8%), the Tumbes Binational Border Assistance Center with 62,000 visitors (7.5%), and the Desaguadero/Carancas/CEBAF Border Control Post in Puno with 48,000 (5.8%).
Chile remained leading source market
Mincetur indicated that Chile was the main source country of international tourists to Peru between January and March this year, with 208,792 arrivals, down 2.9% compared with the same period of 2025.
Compared with the first quarter of 2019, arrivals from Chile showed a 59.1% recovery.
For its part, the United States ranked second with 143,000 tourists (6.4%), followed by Ecuador (67,000; 4.4%), Bolivia (53,000; 5.3%), Colombia (40,000; -0.1%), and Brazil (33,000; -4.2%).
"These countries accounted for 66.1% of total arrivals," Mincetur underlined.
By regional blocs
At the regional level, during the first quarter of 2026, South America accounted for the largest share of international tourist arrivals, reaching 53.1% of the total (437,261 visitors), followed by North America with 22.5% (186,000) and Europe with 15.3% (126,000).
Together, these three regions represented 90.9% of the total.
Jorge Chavez International Airport: The main gateway
According to the Migration Control Office, 59.4% of international tourists (489,455) entered through the Migration Control Post at Jorge Chavez International Airport between January and March this year.
This represented a 5.7% year-on-year increase compared with the same period in 2025, and was equivalent to 83.4% of the level recorded between January and March 2019.
Meanwhile, the Santa Rosa Border Control Post in Tacna accounted for 19.8% of the total (163,000 tourists), the Tumbes Binational Border Assistance Center 7.5% (62,000), and the Desaguadero/Carancas/CEBAF Border Control Post in Puno 5.8% (48,000).
Outbound travel by Peruvian tourists
During the same period (January-March 2026), the number of resident Peruvian tourists traveling abroad reached 942,777, representing a 5.2% year-on-year increase.
The figure was 9.1% higher than that recorded in the first quarter of 2019.
According to Mincetur, 64.6% of resident Peruvians who left the country for tourism traveled to destinations in South America.
In terms of specific destinations, Chile ranked first with 276,000 tourists, followed by Bolivia (107,000), the United States (105,000), Spain (84,000), and Colombia (83,000), among others.
(END) NDP/MDV/MVB
Publicado: 23/4/2026