APTAE The Peruvian Adventure Travel Ecotourism and Specialised Tourism Association (APTAE) is a non-profit organisation created in 1983 to strengthen the presence of adventure travel, ecotourism and other forms of specialised tourism in Peru; therefore having a say about the existing regulations and promotional efforts related to these activities.
Its main objective is to promote responsible and sustainable adventure travel, ecotourism and specialised tourism in Peru. All of its members have signed, and are committed to its code of ethics, thus advocating the protection of natural, social, and cultural resources. High-quality service and safety standards are also very important to the partners, and they ensure compliance of their associates’ high standards through educational and certification programmes in co-ordination with Rainforest Alliance.
THE ASSOCIATES OF APTAE Although APTAE do not represent all of the companies that offer adventure travel and ecotourism in Peru, its associates and their associates’ clients are leaders in these fields. It is are proud to bring together pioneers, who project their clear understanding of quality service and social and environmental responsibility, through their daily activities and innovative programmes.
Sustainable tourism in Peru Sustainable tourism is a concept that has taken on increasing importance over the past few decades. It is defined as “activities that can be maintained over time without depleting the resource base that makes them possible” and seeks to generate activities that respect nature, culture, and society.
WHAT APTAE OFFERS APTAE works alongside the government to establish and improve regulations. This will ensure safety and quality and will set the criteria for proper investigation about the economic impacts, safety, infrastructure, market requirements, route coordination and improvements in products and services.
APTAE Asociación Peruana de Turismo de Aventura y Ecoturismo Calle San Fernando 287, Miraflores Lima 18, Peru Phone +51 1 444 18 53 administracion@aptae.org www.aptae.org
APTAE is an institutional associate of the Adventure Travel and Trade Association (ATTA) and it participates regularly in Adventure Travel World Summits. It is affiliated with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and is also a member of CANATUR (Cámara Nacional de Turismo).
This concept is not just one of interest for governments and tourism sector stakeholders, but also for tourists who are actively demanding destinations and services that adhere to the principles of sustainable tourism by promoting local hiring and preventing environmental harm resulting from tourist activities. Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism – MINCETUR, of which PromPeru is part of – has taken steps to encourage real sustainable tourism in Peru with the purpose of integrating communities into tourism sector activities, so they can benefit from them in the form of economic development and the dissemination and conservation of their cultural expressions. It must be emphasised that the success of this initiative requires the joint effort of public and private institutions, as well as the authorities in each community. Through those partnerships, secure investors looking for environmental conservation in natural and cultural heritage areas, will be found. Some of the 2013 MINCETUR projects include environmental management training sessions for regional and local government officials, with the objective of promoting protected natural areas as tourism destinations and encouraging the preservation of the biological diversity found within them.
promperu Calle Uno Oeste 50, Edificio MINCETUR Pisos 13 y 14, San Isidro Lima, Peru Phone +51 1 616 73 00 Fax +51 1 225 11 63 webmaster@promperu.gob.pe www.peru.info
Furthermore, it is important to stress that the promotion of Peru, carried out by PromPeru, requires essential tools in order to build an image of the country as a sustainable destination. Meeting the demands of today’s tourists is more than a differentiating factor – it is an imperative!