By Philip Iglauer
Peruvian Ambassador to Korea Marcela Lopez-Bravo visited Machu Pichu three times in her life, most recently as part of an exhibition she organized for the National Museum of Korea in 2009.
Now, she wants to increase the number of Korean visitors to Peru and the pre-Columbian Incan city in the sky with an exhibition of photographs and archival maps called “Machu Pichu: 100 Years Global Disclosure.” The exhibition runs through Nov. 12.
“As you know, Machu Pichu is not only an icon to Peruvians, an icon of tourism and archeology and of beauty, but it is also an icon to Koreans as well,” said a beaming Lopez-Bravo, while pointing at Machu Pichu on an old map.
“I hope this exhibition will promote the idea that as Peru and Korea have wonderful economic relations and cultural relations, we can enhance relations in tourism, too,” she said.
The Peruvian envoy said that in 2007 when she began her posting in Korea about 3,000 Koreans traveled to her country annually. Now, about 9,000 visit Peru, a three-fold increase in four years.
Lopez-Bravo said she expects that number to balloon with the Korea-Peru free trade agreement that came into force in August and a deal underway with Korean Airlines.
Korea Airlines will soon make travel between Korea and Peru easier. For the first time, passengers will be able to travel from Seoul to Lima by way of the United States on the same flight.
This makes travel simpler, as it allow travelers to go to Peru without passing through immigration and customs in the United States.
Lopez-Bravo, a 30-year veteran diplomat, said she expects that number to increase five fold in the next four years, with Lima hosting some 50,000 Korean tourists annually.