UJ #14 - Qhapac Ñan
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INTERVIEW<br />
What was our role in the project?<br />
François: LimaTours made a commitment to<br />
the expedition and made the company resources<br />
available to organize the logistics, strengthen the<br />
relations with local authorities and coordinate the<br />
operability during the course of the trek.<br />
Most adventure tourism visitors focus<br />
on Cusco. Do you intend to put northern<br />
Peru on the map with this project?<br />
François: A great part of the volume is in Cusco,<br />
for the tradition it has, the appropriate accessibility<br />
and its availability of hotel infrastructure. The treks<br />
there are interesting for people whose main goal<br />
is getting to know Machu Picchu, because they can<br />
incorporate them to their travel program.<br />
Going to other regions of Peru for adventure<br />
tourism takes more time and that is complicated<br />
for the tourists because it involves spending more<br />
money. Huaraz is an example of an area with a large<br />
number of products, with unparalleled adventure<br />
activities or even more attractions that Cusco itself.<br />
Then, LimaTours would be “pioneering” in<br />
this type of projects in northern Peru?<br />
François: National operators are not very<br />
interested in promoting adventure tourism in the<br />
north, as they do not have the expertise or the<br />
resources to operate routes there. Since we have<br />
strong ties with adventure tourism clients worldwide,<br />
it is essential for us to create our own products in<br />
the north and establish partnerships to operate<br />
them with the quality we are characterized by, to<br />
increase the volume of people who visit that area.<br />
What tourism potential do you see in the<br />
Qhapaq <strong>Ñan</strong>?<br />
François: It has an extremely high potential.<br />
Currently, an important number of people are<br />
trekking on the traditional Inca Trail in Cusco, but the<br />
route is so crowded that we have reached a point of<br />
having to restrict its use in order to protect it.<br />
It is interesting for LimaTours to promote other<br />
sections of the road system, to make them more<br />
accessible, to offer a different experience to the<br />
42<br />
Explorers and the LimaTours team during The<br />
Great Inca Trail expedition.<br />
Christian Declercq / KM Cero
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