Pope's Peru visit: 'Leo's Route' to be relaunched to boost religious tourism

11:19 | Lima, Aug. 25.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV's visit to Peru, scheduled for next November, will not only be a major historical, religious, and cultural event, but also an opportunity to showcase the South American country's spiritual, cultural, gastronomic, and tourism wealth to the world.

This was highlighted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur).

The Executive Branch institution participated in the inaugural session of the Extraordinary High-Level Commission (CEAN) "The Visit of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV," a multisectoral body tasked with coordinating actions to ensure a safe, orderly, and successful visit.

The meeting was held at the Foreign Affairs Ministry headquarters on Monday and attended by Deputy Tourism Minister Liz Chirinos.

In this regard, Mincetur announced that it will strongly boost religious tourism so that this visit transcends the event itself and leaves a lasting tourism legacy.

The government agency announced that, within this framework, it will strengthen coordination with local authorities in the cities included in the itinerary and assess the demand for and capacity of accommodation establishments.

Moreover, it will promote the opportunities and experiences associated with "Leo's Route" and monitor tourism infrastructure projects, with special attention to the completion of the planned works.

Additionally, Mincetur has been strengthening its joint efforts with the National Superintendence of Migration to facilitate the entry of international visitors and improve their experience upon arrival in Peru.

How many people will attend?

Mincetur projects that Pope Leo XIV's visit to Peru will draw more than 700,000 attendees, including domestic tourists, international visitors, and local residents, generating a significant economic impact.

It stated that this influx will boost hotels, restaurants, transportation, travel agencies, tourism-related businesses, handicrafts, and other services.

Strategy underway

Mincetur's strategy includes promotional activities in the four cities on the itinerary, capacity strengthening for regional governments, municipalities, and tourism service providers, as well as enhanced iPeru services to guide pilgrims and visitors.

The Tourist Protection Network will coordinate efforts with the Tourism Police, the Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism (Promperu), the National Superintendence of Migration, and the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi) to provide a safe and efficient experience.

Moreover, PromPeru will carry out domestic and international promotional activities and a digital campaign to relaunch "Leo's Route," with an estimated reach of 1.9 million people.

It will also work with agencies and tour operators in Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil to promote tourism experiences associated with the visit.

With this strategy, Mincetur seeks to turn Pope Leo XIV's visit into a global showcase for Peru and consolidate religious tourism as a segment capable of generating travel, employment, local development, and new opportunities for domestic regions.