'The FCDO's nuanced response to Peru's troubles has been very welcome'

Lata member DMCs and hoteliers in Peru report that since 20 December, they lost 99% of all business for January and February. Fortunately – if you can use that word – this is the low season so the impact is lesser to some extent, but bookings for later in the year are very low, which is causing concern.

Thanks to lessons learned during Covid, Peruvian suppliers have offered complete flexibility, worked to rearrange bookings, and generally supported tour operators and their clients. I’m pleased Lata has been able to help operators understand the current situation through a number of webinars, with colleagues on the ground in Peru sharing exactly what is happening.

One positive I take from this situation is that the Foreign Office advice has been very nuanced. We are used to Latin American countries facing blanket travel bans almost as soon as the first placard is waved, but we have seen a completely different, and very welcome, approach this time to the situation in Peru since early December.

It does appear that things are calming down, with the opposing sides in the dispute looking for a political solution – and the reopening this week of Machu Picchu is, symbolically, a big step forward for tourism. With that said, there have still been a few tourists in Peru who, with a bit of flexibility, have been able to complete most – if not all – of their planned itineraries.