The "Ayacucho, where Peru is born" brand was presented to the world with great expectation and enthusiasm, seeking to highlight the wealth of the region's crafts, gastronomy, culture and history. This launch, which took place on January 29, was attended by the president of Peru, Martin Vizcarra, the regional governor of Ayacucho, Carlos Rúa Carbajal, and leading authorities and personalities.
"Ayacucho is important for our country, and what is happening here is something that should be reflected in other regions. The challenge is great and will serve us as a lever for development, and a route we are willing to take", said the Peruvian president.
Rúa Carbajal, for his part, thanked the attendees and those who made it possible for Marca Ayacucho to become a reality. "Today is a very important day; the art, music, tourist attractions and culture of Ayacucho will be in the eyes of the world. My deep gratitude to all those who committed themselves to this dream that has finally seen the light", he said.
The main objectives of the initiative are to consolidate Ayacucho's identity, promote tourism and build a certified quality brand; in addition to promoting and achieving designations of origin for products such as quinoa and vicuña.
Pikimachay: Working pillars
18 months ago, the successful Ayacucho businessman Carlos Añaños decided to create the Patronato Pikimachay organization, with the firm purpose of positioning Ayacucho nationally and internationally. "We want the Ayacucho Brand to be the common thread to highlight the differentiated attributes of this land, its music, its dances and history", he said.
To achieve this, Pikimachay has focused its energy on four main pillars. The first is based on getting Unesco to recognize Ayacucho in some category as a world heritage site. In this respect, Añaños indicated that it is a long process, but they are committed to achieving it, "we are going to fight for the Creative Cities nomination, and we hope to achieve it for the Bicentennial”.
Making Ayacucho a "smart city" is another of the pillars. Progress in this task has been considerable, and it currently has an inventory of about 28 miles in the Historic Center of Huamanga. Half a million items have been registered; the digitized material will be used for the process of improving the historic center.
At Pikimachay they know that safety in a city is a vital factor for tourists to decide to visit a place, so this is a third pillar. The Tucuy Ricuy application has been in existence since last year, making it possible to ask for help from the police with just three clicks.
The fourth pillar corresponds to the Marca Ayacucho, the common thread of the other 3 areas.
100% Support
Within the framework of the launch of the Marca Ayacucho, it is worth highlighting the actions that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) has been carrying out to boost tourism in the region.
"At Mincetur we have been supporting and consolidating the tourist experience in Ayacucho. This brand allows us to continue with this work. We are also strengthening the capacities of our artisans so that visitors can take home beautiful souvenirs and share their experiences", said Edgar Vasquez, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism.
In line with this, a series of projects started a little while ago in the town of Quinua, which seek to improve the tourist experience. This work is part of the National Copesco Plan, worth more than 16 million soles.
Sources: Andina /Correo