Peru: tourist flow in Paracas to increase by 15% by 2023

29-11-22

The president of the Paracas Group, José Rosas Zarich, affirmed that it is not yet possible to call it a total and complete reactivation of tourism in Paracas and the surrounding area, but it is a fact that the activity itself has recovered its clientele and the number of passengers.

However, he said that the figures are not the same as in 2019.

In this respect, he estimated that by the end of 2022, Paracas would have received some 450,000 visitors, both nationals and foreigners.

It is worth remembering that at the end of 2019, Paracas received 850,000 tourists, who praised the Paracas National Reserve and the Ballestas Islands, as well as its marine gastronomy.

According to the senior executive, he indicated that political instability is the first and most detestable enemy of tourism.

"Even so, the surveys do not augur great improvements, but I am hopeful that tourism in Paracas will increase by 15 percent by 2023," said Rosas Zarich.

Flights with more daily frequencies

When asked about the resumption of the operations of the airline Latam on the Cusco - Pisco flights for the middle of next year, he pointed out that if they are going to put a flight three times a week as they did for three months, it would not help at all.

"Tourism in Paracas requires flights with daily frequencies and guaranteed reservations", he said.

The head of the Paracas Group recalled that Latam simply used that two-month flight to collaborate with the concessionaire Aeropuertos del Perú (ADP) and "in my opinion, I would consider it a deception to all of us".

"In my opinion, it would only have supported ADP in order to avoid the complaints we were making about the inoperability of the airport. A lot has been said that flights from Pisco were suspended because of the pandemic and that is an absolute lie. Flights were completely closed since last year," he argued.

Difficult to cancel concession

On the possibility of the Pisco airport concession being cancelled, he expressed his doubts because ADP is extremely powerful and it is a fact that they have almost a national airport monopoly.

"They are going to defend their position with everything they have and it would set a very negative precedent for them. If Pisco and the Ica region do not stand up with much more serious measures, all this would be forgotten in less than a month," he said.

In this respect, José Rosas Zarich pronounced himself to act and organise protests with peaceful marches demanding the departure of this bad operator.

"There has to be an awareness of the economic and strategic damage that comes with not having a real alternative airport," he said.

Linking Paracas with Miraflores

Finally, Rosas Zarich referred to the possibility of linking Paracas with the district of Miraflores for tourism.

In this respect, he said that Miraflores has Carlos Canales Anchorena as Mayor and with his wide experience in the tourist activity.

As an elected councillor for that municipality, he affirmed that Paracas is the first and last destination for tourists who go by land.

In this sense, he said that it would be absolutely logical to twin Miraflores with Paracas in order to reach inter-municipal agreements that would enrich this tourist exchange.

"Obviously, as a lover of Tourism and of my District of Miraflores and also of Paracas, where I partially resided for almost 20 years, I will be more than willing to collaborate in the tourist growth of both important districts", he concluded.