Thursday, July 24, 2025
The Peruvian travel industry is on pace for significant growth in 2025, as the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) predicts the industry will make an unprecedented contribution of more than \$23 billion to the country’s economy. This is 7.8% of Peru´s GDP and shows a solid recovery and growth of the sector. This is an amazing growth and ready to hit 6.9% by 2025 from the last year.
The WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR), developed in partnership with Oxford Economics, highlights how tourism is becoming an increasingly vital economic pillar in Peru. By the conclusion of 2025, the tourism sector is expected to provide employment for 1.17 million individuals, representing 6.6% of the country’s overall workforce. This marks an 8.4% increase over 2019 figures, emphasizing the sector’s strong contribution to national employment.
Domestic tourism plays a crucial role in this success, with spending anticipated to hit \$12 billion by the close of the year, a 6.5% year-on-year growth. In contrast, international tourism is also thriving, with an expected \$5 billion contribution to the economy, representing a significant 9.4% increase from the previous year.
A Look Back at 2024
In 2024, Peru’s tourism sector contributed \$21.6 billion to the economy, which represented 7.5% of the country’s GDP. Employment in the sector reached 1.11 million people, accounting for 6.4% of the workforce. During this time, both international and domestic tourism expenditures saw remarkable increases. International spending grew by nearly 22% compared to the previous year, reaching \$4.7 billion. Meanwhile, domestic tourism spending climbed by over 9%, totaling \$11.4 billion. These figures underscore the expanding strength of the local tourism market.
Leisure travel continues to dominate the tourism landscape, accounting for over 86% of total tourism expenditure, while business travel contributed 13.8%. Peru’s main tourism markets include Chile, the United States, and Ecuador, with visitors from these countries representing a significant share of international spending.
Julia Simpson, President and CEO of the WTTC, said: “Peru is on its way to consolidating its position as a benchmark for international tourism. The resilience of the country’s tourism sector is now reflected in greater economic development and more jobs.
“With clear lines of action, such as growing international connectivity and greater promotion of its destinations and activities, Peru’s tourism sector is positioning itself for a better future.”
The Outlook for 2035
The WTTC anticipates that by 2035, Peru’s tourism industry will significantly boost the economy, contributing an impressive \$34.3 billion. This would represent 8.5% of the country’s GDP, further solidifying the role of tourism as a key driver of economic growth. The sector is expected to generate 1.4 million jobs by that time, creating an additional 278,500 new positions over the next decade.
International tourism spending is projected to increase substantially, reaching \$9.4 billion by 2035, while domestic tourism spending is expected to surpass \$16 billion. These growth figures are testament to the sector’s resilience and its critical role in Peru’s broader economic development.
Regional Trends
Peru’s growth is part of a broader regional trend in Central and South America, where the travel and tourism industry contributed \$358.7 billion to GDP in 2024, representing 7.5% of the region’s economic output. This growth represents a 9% rise compared to 2019, with the sector now providing 17.5 million jobs, accounting for 8% of the total workforce in the region.
Growth over the next decadeAccording to the plan, regional tourism will grow to \$372 billion by 2025, representing 7.6% of the regional economy. The number of jobs in the sector is also on the rise, with 18.2mn people projected to be employed in tourism-enabled jobs, or 8.2% of all employment, in the region.
In summary the Peru travel and tourism industry is going through a ‘phenomenon growth cycle’ and with all signs hinting at phenomenal growth for the next few years to come. Hope for the future As the industry expands, it promises to generate employment, strengthen the economy and maintain Peru’s place as one of the world’s top destinations.
