Orchid tourism in Peru has great potential, expert says

A decade from now, and with enough work and research, orchid tourism in Peru could have a privileged status in the world and generate significant income for the country, said orchid speciality Jesús Purisaca. Purisaca was the lead organizer of the first scientific Orchid Conservation Conference, which took place at Machu Picchu at the end of February.

“[Orchid tourism] is a very important niche, and it needs to be promoted and spread throughout all spheres,” he said. Purisaca, a representative of the NGO Inka Terra Association, said that a list of species needs to be compiled with the respective locations where each one can be found, in order to promote individual types as well as have specialized personnel who can explain the diversity and richness of the flowers.

He said that to guarantee the success of this kind of eco-tourism in Peru, this kind of research must be complemented with facilities for visitors, ensuring they have all the necessary comforts to make their stay in Peru an unforgettable experience.

“We have several sites where we could develop orchid tourism, and even more places yet to be discovered,” he said.

According to Purisaca, there are 40,000 people involved in the study of orchids throughout Latin America, only 500 of which are in Peru.