Peru sees double-digit growth from the UK as 'Peru Wow' inspires new demand

UK visitor numbers to Peru continue to climb, with the destination welcoming 43,918 British travellers between January and July 2026, a 12% increase compared with the same period in 2025. The latest figures from PROMPERÚ highlight growing interest from the UK market, supported by the launch of the international "Peru Wow" campaign, which showcases the country's world-renowned cultural icons alongside emerging destinations and authentic experiences. With UK visitors staying an average of 15 days and spending approximately US$2,259 (£1,680) per trip, Peru continues to attract high-value travellers seeking adventure, gastronomy, nature and cultural discovery across destinations including Lima, Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Madre de Dios, Ica and Áncash.

Tourism Statistics from PROMPERÚ

Arrivals during 2026

According to official records, from January to July 2026 - 43,918 UK tourists entered Peru. This represents a positive growth of 12% compared to the same period in 2025.

Average length of stay by UK

According to PROMPERÚ’s research, UK travellers stay on average 15 days.

Average expenditure of the UK traveller in Peru

The average spend per tourist is US$2,259, approximately £1,680.

Top visited destinations by UK visitors to Peru in 2025

The most visited destinations by UK travellers are Lima, Cusco, Puno, Arequipa, Madre de Dios, Ica and Áncash.

CURRENT AND UPCOMING TOURISM CAMPAIGNS

Peru Wow is PROMPERÚ’s international tourism campaign designed to position Peru as a diverse, authentic and unforgettable destination. The campaign highlights immersive cultural experiences, unique landscapes, adventure travel and hidden gems that offer authentic and memorable journeys.

Key objectives of the campaign are to increase awareness of Peru as a world-class tourism destination in international markets, showcase the country's diversity beyond its most famous sites and inspire travellers through authentic experiences that leave visitors saying “wow”.

While iconic attractions remain central to Peru's appeal, the campaign aims to shine a spotlight on lesser- known destinations and experiences, encouraging repeat visits and deeper exploration. These include:

• Gocta Waterfall – one of the world's tallest waterfalls
• Choquequirao – an ancient Inca site often described as a less-visited alternative to Machupicchu
• Caral – the oldest known civilisation in the Americas
• Peru's rich culture, gastronomy, nature and adventure experiences

Campaign video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuyaIrAg2jo

DESTINATION NEWS

A papal visit transforms Chiclayo: Pope Leo XIV is set to visit Peru in November 2026 for a historic tour spanning Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa. The visit carries deep personal significance; though born in the US, he holds Peruvian citizenship after serving the church in the country for over 20 years, beginning in 1985 as a missionary, and it was in Chiclayo ́s Lambayeque region that he served as bishop from 2015 to 2020. In preparation for his return, the city is undergoing a significant transformation: hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies are enhancing visitor services, urban infrastructure improvements are underway, authorities are coordinating with local artisans and entrepreneurs to promote a dedicated Popes Route spotlighting regional handicrafts, souvenirs, and local products, and a renewal plan for the historic district is refreshing its visual identity with 67 new tourist information signs going up ahead of the visit.

A restored wonder in the Amazonas: In the Amazonas region, the monumental Kuélap Fortress, a pre-Inca citadel built by the Chachapoya civilization more than a thousand years ago, has fully recovered the section of its southern wall that collapsed in April 2022, the culmination of painstaking multi-year research, conservation, and reconstruction efforts. Using photogrammetry, archaeological studies, and internationally recognized conservation techniques, specialists repositioned hundreds of individually coded stone elements to restore the 17-meter-high wall to its original configuration. The restored section has been reincorporated into visitor circuits, and the fortress is projecting growth of 10 to 15 percent this year, targeting approximately 80,000 visitors after welcoming nearly 67,000 in 2025.

Peru has become the first country in South America to integrate an official AI travel assistant into its tourism portal, Peru.travel: In line with its innovation and digital transformation strategy, PROMPERÚ is leveraging real-time artificial intelligence to deliver personalized travel recommendations and enhance the overall user experience. The tool contributes to one of Peru's key tourism priorities: diversifying demand.By highlighting lesser-known destinations, new routes and authentic experiences, the travel planning platform aims to promote a more balanced distribution of visitors and create greater opportunities for regions and tourism attractions across the country.

Peru nominated in 21 regional categories of World Travel Awards: Peru has again shown its strength as a tourism destination, receiving 21 nominations in the South America regional stage of the 2026 World Travel Awards. Among the key categories are South America’s Leading Tourist Destination, Leading Culinary Destination, Leading Cultural Destination and Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination, with Machupicchu also be nominated for Leading Tourist Attraction.

NEW LUXURY & ADVENTURE OPENINGS

Opened in March, Inkaterra Cabo Blanco is a relaxed luxury resort with 20 beachfront suites and bungalows in Peru's northern region of Piura. Once a traditional fishing village, Cabo Blanco found fame as the filming location for Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Today, the area is known for its quiet beaches and surfing. Guests at the resort have the opportunity to sail aboard the restored Miss Texas, retracing the journeys of Hemingway and Glassell, and indulge in wellness treatments inspired by the healing properties of the ocean.

This December, luxury adventure company andBeyond will launch the Amazon Explorer, the first-ever Peruvian Amazon River expedition yacht. Currently under construction in Iquitos, the vessel will feature 15 spacious suites, a wellness centre and gym, a swimming pool, and a pisco bar and lounge, offering guests an immersive journey through one of the planet’s most biodiverse ecosystems.

Marriott International has announced two landmark property conversions in Lima, both debuting in 2028. The JW Marriott Hotel Lima in Miraflores will be reimagined as The Ritz-Carlton, Lima, set to become the first Ritz-Carlton in Peru and only the second in South America. The former Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center in San Isidro ́s Paseo Begonias district will reopen as the new JW Marriott Hotel Lima. The conversions reflect Lima ́s growing stature as a world-class luxury travel destination celebrated for its cultural richness, culinary leadership, and urban energy.

Peruvian boutique travel collection Andean will open Suasi, a new resort on a 111-acre private island in Lake Titicaca, in spring 2027. The island is a conservation area home to endemic bird and plant species, private beaches, and viewpoints over the lake, with the property centred on wellness, sustainability, and farm-to-table cuisine.

A new 3-star Costa del Sol hotel is also slated to open at Jorge Chávez International Airport in 2027, featuring 338 rooms, a restaurant-bar, terrace, meeting room, coworking area, children ́s space, and an observation deck.

LIMA’S GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT

Peru will make culinary history this November when Lima hosts The World's 50 Best Restaurants. This will be the first time the prestigious awards ceremony is held in South America, bringing the global restaurant community together in one of the world's most exciting food capitals. The week-long program of events will include the #50BestTalks forum series, collaborative 50 Best Signature Sessions dinners, the celebrated Chefs' Feast, and the award ceremony. International guests will also have the opportunity to experience Peru's diverse culinary regions through specially curated gastronomic experiences. The announcement comes at a defining moment for Peruvian gastronomy. In 2025, Maido was named The World's Best Restaurant, becoming the second Peruvian restaurant to earn the top spot after Central, which received the same distinction in 2023. Beyond its award-winning restaurants, Peru offers an extraordinary range of culinary experiences for visitors: guided market tours, cooking classes, immersive food tours, and regional cuisines that celebrate the flavours of the Coast, the Andes and the Amazon.

Lima is also set to take centre stage on the global sporting calendar when it hosts the Pan American Games 2027, drawing thousands of athletes and visitors to the city, with organizers already advancing infrastructure upgrades and green games sustainability initiatives across the capital.

DISCOVERIES

Scientists discover four new types of cacao in Peru: Peruvian chocolate is celebrated around the world for its rich diversity and ancestral heritage. Researchers have recently identified four previously unknown genetic lineages of cacao in Peru, which could provide an array of flavourful opportunities for growers and chocolate makers in the region and around the world. Two of the four groups have ancestry that suggests they might produce especially high-quality beans that would bring exciting new flavours to the global chocolate market. Peru is the eighth-largest cocoa producer in the world, and the country is home to more than 80,000 farming families, with the majority of beans originating from the Amazonian region.

New 2.5 km of Inca Trail found in Machupicchu Archaeological Park: Using advanced laser technology, scientists have found an additional 2.5 km of Inca Trail within the Machupicchu Archaeological Park.Researchers used LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems to scan the thick vegetation from above to pick up subtle changes in the landscape that are hard to see at ground level. By doing this, they have identified what they believe is a 1.2-kilometre main road, along with platforms and terraces. These newly identified areas lie to the east of the citadel, along the Mandor Wall.

AWARDS

During its participation in FITUR 2026, Peru received recognition from the Association of Ibero-American Press Correspondents (ACPI), highlighting the Peruvian stand’s contribution to showcasing the richness of international cultural and gastronomic heritage.

Five Peruvian coffee shops were included in The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops ranking: Puku Puku (69), Three Monkeys Coffee (26), Origen (45), Monótono (23), and Kafi Wasi (17).

The new Jorge Chávez International Airport was selected among the Top 10 airports in the world with the best food offerings, according to the prestigious Food & Wine magazine, which surveyed more than 400 experts, including chefs, food writers, and travel specialists.

Lima was named the Best Food City of 2026 by British magazine Time Out Travel.

Peru was recognized as one of the world’s best destinations to visit in 2026, ranking first in South America in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026 list.

For the fourth consecutive year, Travel + Leisure named Cusco the best city in Central and South America.

Peru has strengthened its global reputation, ranking 25th among 60 major economies and remaining the highest-ranked Latin American country among G7 audiences, while also recording the largest increase in domestic reputation, with a 7.7-point rise to 70.4. According to Reputation Lab’s RepCore® Nations 2026, Peru’s international reputation increased by 1.7 points despite a global decline, driven by strong perceptions of its natural environment, culture, gastronomy, and hospitality. These results reinforce PROMPERÚ’s national “More Peruvian Than Ever” (Más peruano que nunca) campaign, which seeks to strengthen national pride and showcase Peru’s identity and values to the world.

For further destination information and to plan your trip, visit www.peru.travel