Lima,Peru – Seoul, Korea direct flights to boost Asian Arrivals

Lima, Feb. 12 (ANDINA). The number of Korean tourists visiting Peru will triple over the next five years thanks to new direct flights by Korean Air between Seoul and Lima, Ambassador Park Hee-kwon said Sunday.

Tourists at Machu Picchu. Photo: ANDINA/Archive

The diplomat told Andina news agency that about 18,000 Korean tourists arrived in Peru last year, an average of 1,500 visitors a day. “This number will triple once Korean Air starts operations this year,” he said.

The Korean ambassador recalled that in September 2011 Peru and South Korea signed an aviation agreement which provides for the establishment of direct flights between Seoul and Lima in 2012.

Moreover, Park noted that direct flights between the two countries will have a positive impact on tourist arrivals from Asian countries like Japan and China.

“All these countries in Asia are interested in visiting Peru, a country with an extremely rich culture and cradle of the Inca civilization,” said the Korean ambassador in Lima.

On the other hand, Park said that the free trade agreement signed by Peru and South Korea in August 2011 has led to an exponential increase in bilateral trade.

In response to this increase in trade, the diplomat said that Korean Air has already launched cargo service between Korea and Peru.