July 28 is Peru’s Independence Day, and it is one of the most important national holidays for Peruvian communities around the world.

The day commemorates Peru’s independence from the Spanish empire by Jose de San Martín. The following day, July 29, celebrates the establishment of the Republic of Peru. The two days together make up what Peruvians call “Las Fiestas Patrias”.

For Ambassador Augusto Morelli, the celebration of the 201st anniversary of the Republic of Peru is an occasion to reactivate post-pandemic Peruvian tourism and review the progress of bilateral economic relations between Peru and Việt Nam.

Reactivation of international tourism in Peru

Thanks to a long history defined by major ancient civilisations, Peru is home to more than 5000 archaeological sites. Without a doubt, the sacred city of Machu Picchu is the greatest tourist attraction in Peru. This citadel is the best example of the greatness of the Inca empire, that during its heyday, managed to extend over 2,500,000 km² through the lands that today belong to Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina. and Columbia. In 2021, this wonder of the world was distinguished as the “Leading Tourist Attraction in South America” and received 400,000 tourists in the first semester of 2022.

Titicaca lake is the highest navigable lake in the world. Photos courtesy of the embassy

Four days of walking from the town of Cachora in the province of Abancay, Apurimac, is the last refuge of the Incas of Vilcabamba after the arrival of the Spanish in Peru: Choquequirao. This archaeological site is known as the sister of Machu Picchu because of its beauty and grandeur. The site is perched a magnificent 1,600 meters (one vertical mile) above the river, surrounded by densely-forested mountain slopes, beneath huge, snow-capped peaks.

Peru is synonymous with natural beauty and it is one of the world’s ten most biologically diverse countries. One of the most biodiverse places on earth is the Amazonas River which birthplace is located at the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali rivers, in Peru. Luxurious cruise ships navigate its waters and reveal to visitors the wonders of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

An important measure of the post-COVID economic recovery policies for Peru and Việt Nam is the reopening of international tourism. For that reason, since the end of 2020, both countries have been negotiating the signing of an agreement on tourist visa exemption for ordinary passport holders.

Peru and Việt Nam economic exchange

In the last years, political and economic exchange has improved thanks to the mutual contact of high-ranking authorities and representatives, growing trade flows and the presence of important Vietnamese investments in Peru.

An example of the close bilateral relationship between the two countries was the recent holding of the II Meeting of the Peru-Việt Nam Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Affairs and Technical Cooperation on July 21 this year.

We are all optimistic about the bright future of the development of bilateral economic relations. In recent years, both sides have achieved remarkable success, especially the trade turnover reached US$633.75 million in 2021, six times more than that of 2009 (more than US$100 million) and increased by 62% compared to that of 2020 (more than $390 million), despite the global economic crisis as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, both nations have great untapped potential to improve economic relations in the coming years. In fact, the two countries' export and import portfolios remain limited and have not changed for years. Therefore, trade diversification is a key issue for the Peru-Việt Nam economic relationship. This will be achieved by taking advantage of the CPTPP incentives, an agreement that entered into force for Peru in September last year.

The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is the most amazing architectural achievement of the Inca Empire. Its walls, terraces and gigantic ramps give the impression of having been sculpted in the cliffs of the rock as if they were part of it.

The potential for economic relations looks very promising in the coming years if both countries continue to promote each other's strengths in terms of investment and business opportunities.

We look forward to enhancing all levels of relations in the political, economic and cooperation fields, as well as in the framework of regional economic blocs such as the Pacific Alliance and ASEAN and our continued and shared participation in APEC and the United Nations. VNS