Chinese tourists to Peru estimated to be up 20 percent in 2018

Chinese visitors to Peru are expected to increase by at least 20 percent this year, after a 22 percent increase last year.

More than 31,000 Chinese people visited the South American country last year, and the first two months of this year saw this number rise by more than 35 percent, said Rocio Florian, a China market specialist of PromPeru, the Peruvian government's trade promotion agency, at a tourism promotion event in Guangzhou on May 10.

This strong growth is attributable to the relaxed visa requirements on Chinese visitors since 2016, as well as their interest in new destinations, she said.

Aside from sightseeing, they also want to have experiences, interact with local people, and take exclusive trips.

Florian's agency plans to create a Weibo account next week, after launching a Chinese-language website and a WeChat social media account for digital promotion last year.

Training requirements for Peruvians involved in the Chinese tourism market will be enhanced, Florian said.

A tourism promotion event for Peru is held in Guangzhou on May 10. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]