Following the announcement of Travel + Leisure 2020 World’s Best Awards, which voted Inkaterra as South America’s best hotel brand, founder and CEO José Koechlin spoke with El Comercio newspaper in an exclusive interview to unveil the brand’s future plans.

“Inkaterra is working on a new hotel, Machu Picchu Forest, defined by the spirit that identifies our brand since its establishment in 1975,” José Koechlin announced for next year. Enhancing Inkaterra’s commitment to a sustainable development in harmony with the environment, its eighth property –and fifth in the Cusco Region– will feature “casitas or cabanas surrounding a main pavilion, a sort of field ‘boutique’ that complies in a natural way with the standards of social distancing.”

Overcoming challenging times for the hospitality industry, José Koechlin also offered a status update on Inkaterra’s future project in Cabo Blanco facing the Tropical Pacific Northern Peru – once the sport-fishing mecca visited by Ernest Hemingway and many Hollywood celebrities, world-known for two standing world records.

“We are creating a new destination,” José Koechlin stated. “Its aim is to recover the sea through a small reserve. Socially, a new pier for the artisanal fishing community is in development, as well as a tourism center, flora and fauna inventories and, of course, a basic services network and a waste management system, as previously accomplished in Cusco and Madre de Dios… The hotel is under construction, with the casitas and cabanas model, whilst creating the ecosystem.”

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JOSÉ KOECHLIN:
“TRAVELERS WILL LOOK FOR MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES WITH A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT”

On July 31, Inkaterra founder and CEO José Koechlin was the keynote speaker in a seminar organized by Ricardo Palma University. The online event, named “Inkaterra and Sustainable Development”, delved into the resilience of ecotourism in a post-COVID scenario, when travelers will seek authentic sustainable initiatives, expecting to live meaningful experiences.

“Travelers will understand nature and local cultures as scarce, valuable commodities, for which we’ll all be eager to contribute to a positive environmental impact,” José Koechlin foresees. However, Inkaterra pioneered this trend since its establishment in 1975, with a vast array of experiences drawing inspiration from its initiatives on scientific research, biodiversity conservation and the wellbeing of local communities – the very core of a business model backed by institutional alliances with the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society, among others. Watch José Koechlin’s seminar on Inkaterra’s ethos and initiatives here.

YOUR PERFECT PERU FEATURES
INKARTERRA BIRD SPECIALIST DENNIS OSORIO

PromPeru’s portal features Inkaterra ornithologist Dennis Osorio. He found his true calling back in 2005, during a birding excursion at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, where he spied in just a matter of seconds an Andean Cock-of-the-rock, a Golden-Headed Quetzal and an Andean Motmot.

Since then, Dennis has spotted over 1,100 species and travelled to 23 of Peru’s 24 regions–a birder’s paradise. Dennis has also contributed to Inkaterra’s bird inventories, with 903 bird species registered in its areas of influence (almost equivalent to Costa Rica’s total bird diversity).

“Expect the unexpected, have fun and show respect”, are some of Dennis’ tips to become a successful birder. “Don’t just enjoy the birds: enjoy the whole experience–the food, the landscapes, the people–everything!”

CNN LISTS INKATERRA
MACHU PICCHU PUEBLO HOTEL’S POND
AMONG WORLD’S BEST PLACES FOR SWIMMING

American news center CNN named its top 20 swimming spots across the globe, “the ultimate escape for those looking for adventure once the months of being unable to hit the road finally come to an end.”

One of the chosen few is Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel’s pond, surrounded by lush gardens tucked away in the Andean cloud forest. “Hotel pools tend to be neat, heated and chlorinated. Not at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. This swanky joint has opted for an icy swimming pond instead, using cold, filtered running spring water,” writes CNN collaborator Joe Minihane.

“The result is the perfect place to take a plunge after a day exploring the famous ruins nearby. It’s all the better after spending an hour in the spa and traditional sauna.”

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