Pope Leo XIV will visit Peru this year

06-02-2026

An opportunity for the expansion of religious tourism in Peru

Pope Leo XIV will arrive in Peru between the months of November and December of this year, announced today Monsignor Carlos García Camader, president of the Conferencia Episcopal Peruana (CEP). The prelate revealed that the Supreme Pontiff spontaneously expressed his desire to visit our country. “He told us: how I would love to be in Peru, because I love Peru. He said it with a smile; you could see it on his face,” Monsignor García recounted.

The World Religious Tourism Network views this visit as a major opportunity for the development of faith-based tourism throughout the country, as a result of the joint work being carried out with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, PromPerú, and CANATUR Perú, the country’s Tourism Chamber.

Data on the growth of religious tourism following the designation of Pope Leo

The data show that with the appointment of Pope Leo XIV, immediate impacts occurred in religious tourism, especially in the areas where Prevost carried out his pastoral work.

1. Increase in tourist arrivals

30% growth in Lambayeque following the election of Pope Leo XIV (Robert Prevost Martínez), who mentioned Chiclayo in his first speech.
Between January and August 2025, more than 650,000 visitors arrived in the region, consolidating Chiclayo as a destination for faith and culture.

2. Creation of religious routes

MINCETUR launched the “Pope Leo XIV Route,” linking churches, convents, and cultural spaces connected to his pastoral career in Chiclayo.
These routes aim to position Lambayeque as a new hub for religious tourism, complementing the region’s cultural and archaeological offerings.
Peru joins the World Religious Tourism Network in January 2026.

3. Economic impact

Projected S/ 450 million in tourism revenue for 2025 thanks to religious festivities, pilgrimages, and cultural visits.
Religious tourism is becoming a driver of economic activity for hotels, restaurants, and local transport.

4. Infrastructure and promotion

Religious and cultural infrastructure projects have been promoted through mechanisms such as “Works for Taxes,” strengthening the capacity to receive visitors.
The international promotion of the “Pope effect” has placed Chiclayo and Lambayeque on the global tourism agenda.

A bit of history of papal visits

Papal visits to Peru have mobilized historic crowds: John Paul II attracted more than 1.5 million faithful in 1985 and nearly 800,000 in 1988, while Pope Francis gathered around 1.3 million people in 2018, generating an estimated economic impact of 80 million dollars.

John Paul II in Peru

First visit (1985):
- Lasted 5 days and covered 8 cities (Lima, Arequipa, Cusco, Ayacucho, Piura, Trujillo, and Iquitos).
- It is estimated that more than 1.5 million people took part in the events, including the massive Mass at the Monterrico Racecourse with hundreds of thousands of young people.
Second visit (1988):
- Lasted 40 hours, mainly in Lima, on the occasion of the Bolivarian Marian Eucharistic Congress.
- It drew approximately 800,000 faithful to different religious events.

Pope Francis in Peru (2018)

Dates: January 18–21, 2018
Cities visited: Lima, Trujillo, and Puerto Maldonado
Attendance: An estimated 1.3 million people participated in the Masses and gatherings
Economic impact: Tourism and pilgrimage activity generated around US$ 80 million, considering domestic tourists, day-trippers, and international visitors.

Papal visits were not only religious events but also catalysts for mass tourism and international visibility. In the case of John Paul II, they marked a milestone during a period of social and political crisis, while Francis’s visit reinforced Peru’s image as a destination for faith and culture, with a tangible economic impact.

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