Peruvian government, on June 21st, 2021, authorized corporate and professional events in Lima. All these events can be held, applying the protocols in open air sites with no capacity control and in closed spaces at 50% capacity.
Lima Convention Bureau celebrated with great success last June 22nd, its hybrid event “Peru Events are back” that was transmitted LIVE from the Bureau’s Facebook, simultaneously with 9 hotels members of the Bureau, where each hotel was a venue that gathered MICE clients in live way. This event seeks to show the importance of the sector as an income generator for Peru, with evidence of the safety protocols that exist for the development of corporate events and also outline the potential of the city of Lima as an event destination and present the contribution of international experts.
Peruvian government, on June 21st, 2021, authorized corporate and professional events in Lima. All these events can be held, applying the protocols in open air sites with no capacity control and in closed spaces at 50% capacity.
Jorge Leon Benavides, President of the Lima Convention Bureau, mentioned: “MICE industry has been a generator of 250,000 jobs in Peru and 2,5% of Peruvian GDP in years of regular activity. At the same time, it generates spaces for the encounter of offer and demand, promotes consumption, attracts investments, generates tourism, transfers knowledge and modernizes technology improving the level of competitivity. It is an industry that was growing before the pandemic and we are sure its recovery will be a rebirth”.
Lima as a hub destination for events in Latin America
During the event, a presentation about Lima as a capital for events took place outlining this as the only capital in South America with a view to the Pacific Ocean, easy Access and high level of air connectivity Also, it has history and cultural representations dated more than 5,000 years.
“Lima is a capital where there is plenty to do. The gastronomic culture of the Peruvians is highly renown in the world. Also, entertainment is part of the agenda, with many sustainable and unique experiences. Lima offers a modern face, where architecture and the latest trends set a guideline with possibilities of digitalization and transmissions at the level of the best capitals in the world.”
Denisse Mac Cubbin, Executive Director of the Lima Convention Bureau, emphasized the image of Lima as a destination for corporate events: “Lima has been a referral in the region for the last decade, we have had sustainable growth in the event industry and have been headquarters of big world events of private, government, institutional and even sports events”.
Up to date, Lima has been home to great events that have brought together more than 10,000 international participants such as the World Economic Forum in 2013, Lima COP 20 in 2014, World Bank Annual Meeting in 2015, APEC 2016, 131° Session of the International Olympic Committee in 2017, VIII Americas Summit in 2018, and Pan American Games in 2019.
Xavier Urios, General Manager of the Spanish-Peruvian Chamber of Commerce, that attended the event commented: “It is a great group initiative of many of the referral hotels in Lima and that provides the shotgun to recover this life of meetings and congresses that was so common on Lima.” He added: “For 3 months now there has been a Flow of Spanish executives that are coming, the commercial trade, work Exchange and meetings are re-activating. We believe that by the end of the year we will have a rhythmical flow in the important hotels.”
The participating hotels that hosted live attendees and from where the virtual platform of RLA Events Technologies broadcasted were Melia Lima, Novotel Lima San Isidro, The Westin Lima Hotel & Convention Center, Miraflores Park a Belmond Hotel, Country Club Lima Hotel, Hotel Estelar Miraflores, Hilton Lima Miraflores, Hyatt Centric San Isidro Lima and Hotel INNSIDE Lima Miraflores. Also, MICE specialized DMCs were present, such as BE PERU and Liberty.
Protocols for the development of meetings
Peru has the Safe Travels seal since October 2020 and 14 tourist destinations have also acquired the seal, such as Miraflores district in Lima, that grants the tranquility and safety of the attendees and organizers of events. As part of the program, Pere Events are Back, made live presentations of the entrance, development and exit of events, that were transmitted from the participating hotels.
Vision of the MICE industry and reactivation of big international events.
The event, that was transmitted LIVE via the Bureau’s Facebook, had the presence of Maria Paz Ramos, Sub Manager of Tourism of Lima’s Municipality, she informed about the teamwork that has taken place between Promperu, MINCETUR, Lima Convention Bureau and companies of the sector, to position Lima as an event destination. “I think that working together as a team, supporting the postulation letters of Lima as home to events and organizing inspection trips, we join as one force”.
Also, via international connections, Rafael Hernandez, Director of World Meetings Forum, participated and mentioned that “the main challenges to grant growth in the industry are security, the patience to understand that this reactivation will be gradual and at all times, be aware of all the protocols that can occur at any time.” He added that “the only way to keep holding up safe is to continue with the testing. We must continue organizing bubble events, with a control that ensures the safety of all”.
On the other hand, Michel Wolmuth, member of the International Board of MPI International, commented on the possible demand of events on a global scale. “I do think that many are ready to attend events in presence, but in a gradual way. A lot will depend on the percentage of people that is vaccinated and in the measure of more population being vaccinated, people will be more confident in returning”. He ended saying: “I think that at the beginning events Will have low budgets and will take place with the minimum elements required and little by Little we will go back to huge productions as well as high number of participants”.
Focus on the Sustainable Events
Finally, the importance of events with the compliance of Sustainable Development Objectives of the UN, as a generator of employment, space for the Exchange of knowledge, being an industry that does not discriminate and be clear to establish alliances to achieve these goals.
The Lima Convention Bureau promotes the city as an excellent destination for congresses, conventions, events and incentive trips. This institution has as members the most representative companies in the sector, that offer all the services required for the realization of events in our country: airlines, hotels, venues, specialized DMCs, PEOs, audio visual suppliers, structure and set up, amongst others.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
