In her remarks, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Teresa Mera, highlighted the strategic value of religious tourism for the country, noting that this segment represents a concrete opportunity to diversify Peru’s tourism offer, energize local economies, and enhance the value of the nation’s tangible and intangible heritage. The Minister emphasized that international interest in faith-related destinations has recently been further strengthened by the election of Pope Leo XIV, an event that has once again placed Peru at the center of global attention and has increased its potential to attract pilgrims and visitors motivated by spiritual and cultural reasons.
Joining the World Network of Religious Tourism provides Peru with access to a space for international cooperation, the exchange of best practices, and the development of joint projects with other countries and destinations committed to responsible tourism, respect for host communities, and alignment with sustainability principles. In this context, new opportunities emerge to design specialized tourism products, strengthen pilgrimage routes, promote research and training, and improve the management of tourist flows associated with celebrations, shrines, and religious expressions.
For her part, the Network’s Director General, Pilar Valdés, stated that Peru’s incorporation represents “a great commitment and a great opportunity” for the organization, highlighting both the international visibility generated by the legacy of Pope Leo XIV and the richness of Peru’s ancestral expressions of Andean spirituality. According to Valdés, these manifestations—deeply rooted in the country’s cultural identity—arouse growing interest among pilgrims and travelers seeking authentic, meaningful experiences connected to history and the worldview of local peoples.
Valdés also underscored the role played by the National Chamber of Tourism of Peru, whose management and support were key to making the country’s incorporation into the Network a reality, as well as the technical work and sustained commitment of PROMPERÚ’s professional team. This joint effort reflects a clear institutional determination to position religious tourism as a complementary axis within the national tourism strategy, aligning public and private stakeholders around shared objectives.
With this accession, Peru strengthens its image as a diverse destination—plural and culturally rich—capable of offering experiences that integrate heritage, spirituality, nature, and community. At the same time, membership in the World Network of Religious Tourism will allow the country to participate actively in international initiatives, joint promotional campaigns, and dialogue spaces that help consolidate tourism as a tool for sustainable development, social cohesion, and cultural projection.
Peru’s incorporation as an active member of the Network not only recognizes the value of its religious and spiritual legacy, but also marks the beginning of a new stage of international cooperation, tourism innovation, and institutional strengthening, aligned with global trends that favor tourism with meaning, identity, and shared responsibility.
