Organizers have reported that about four thousand tourists will come from abroad to the 2011 Mistura Food Festival, to be held from September 9 to 18 in Lima.

Pedro Cordova, Mistura operations manager, announced that an airline is developing a promotional campaign to bring visitors to Mistura from other parts of the country, like Piura, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Cusco, Arequipa and Tarapoto.

The offer would offer “a complete package including air fare, transport and accommodation and free entry to the show on three dates," he explained

Cordova said that this year Mistura expects to receive 280 thousand to 300 thousand visitors and the massive purchase of 50,000 tickets at the presale stage reflects the enthusiasm of people to participate in the largest food fair in America.

According to an article in Andina, an estimated one hundred thousand tourists travel to Peru every year, just to taste the food, then return to their countries, reflecting the development of the Peruvian food industry.

According to Rolando Arellano, of Arellano Marketing, this phenomenon occurs especially for people entering the country across the border from Chile to Tacna and from Ecuador to Tumbes, only attracted by the quality and variety of Peruvian cuisine.

Additionally, he said, gastronomic tours also take place and attract high income tourists who come to Peru for a couple of days just to eat in Lima, Arequipa, Cusco and other towns, and then return to their countries.

According to Adolfo Perret, chairman of food subcommittee of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (CCL), the Peruvian culinary industry could generate sales of close to S/. 45 billion this year.

"One study noted that in 2009 the Peruvian gastronomic industry exceeded S/. 40 billion; given the extraordinary growth and the gourmet boom in the country, it is possible that the figure is around S/.45 billion this year,” he said to Andina.