First ever 'Casa Perú' opens its doors at the Winter Olympics in South Korea

As part of a joint project, the Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) and Peru’s Foreign Trade Office (OCEX) in Seoul, unveiled the first 'Casa Perú' in the city of Gangneung, one of the South Korean host cities where the 23^rd Winter Olympic Games are currently taking place.

Casa Perú aims to promote Peruvian culture around the world. Here attendees can see the country's most fascinating landscapes in a photo exhibition of images taken by South Korean bloggers who have already visited Peruvian tourist destinations. They can also touch and feel textiles made with alpaca fiber, as well as taste delicious super foods like cacao, aguaymanto, sacha inchi and coffee while they listen to Peruvian music and browse the range travel packages to Peru.

"Our job is to generate interest in Peru. This time we are doing it through 'Casa Perú', an innovative platform for the Peru Country Brand that allows us to give the visitor a 360º experience of what our country is. In this way, we hope to arouse curiosity in our products to promote consumption thereof, as well as in the destination in order to influence travel decisions," explained Isabella Falco, the PROMPERÚ Communications and Country Image director. 

'Casa Perú' can be found strategically located in Gangneung, a 10 minute walk from the train station, a place with a high flow of South Korean citizens and tourists, making it an essential route for the thousands of people who have come together to enjoy the winter games. The inauguration was also attended by the Peruvian Ambassador to South Korea, Daúl Matute, and the city's mayor, Myoung hee Choi, who underlined the excellent diplomatic relations between the two countries that go back more than 50 years.

Showcasing our best products, the 'Casa Perú' strategy will be replicated at other international events that bring together a large local and international audience. The strategy is planned to be used in March in Austin, Texas (USA), at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music and innovation festival, as well as in Moscow (Russia) during the FIFA World Cup in June.

ABOUT THE SOUTH KOREAN MARKET

Peru received 25,672 tourists from South Korea between January and November 2017, which implies a 38% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. In light of this, it should be noted that Peru is the country with the biggest increase in South Korean tourism compared to Chile, Ecuador and Colombia.

Moreover, non-traditional exports to South Korea increased by 22.7% between January and November 2017 compared to the same period of the previous year. These exports were worth over US$ 196 million.