Peru is having another major year on the international travel stage. At the 2026 World Travel Awards South America ceremony, the country collected six regional honors spanning gastronomy, culture, nature, sustainability and destination excellence, reinforcing a tourism identity that reaches far beyond its most famous landmark.
Among the country’s victories was one of the evening’s biggest titles: South America’s Leading Destination 2026. The win gives Peru the honor for the fourth consecutive year, following victories in 2023, 2024 and 2025. It is an impressive run in a region filled with heavyweight destinations competing for international travelers, from Brazil and Argentina to Colombia, Chile and Ecuador.
But Peru’s story at the awards was much larger than a single trophy. The country was also named South America’s Leading Culinary Destination, Leading Cultural Destination, Leading Nature Destination and Leading Contributor to Sustainable Tourism. Machu Picchu added a sixth honor by once again being named South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction.
Together, the awards present a fuller picture of what modern Peru represents to travelers. Machu Picchu remains one of the world’s most recognizable archaeological destinations, but visitors increasingly encounter a country built around several distinct experiences. Lima has become an international culinary destination, while Cusco and the Sacred Valley connect travelers to centuries of Indigenous and Inca history. Beyond the Andes, Peru opens into the Amazon rainforest, dramatic Pacific coastline, high-altitude lakes, desert landscapes and protected ecosystems.
Food remains one of Peru’s strongest cultural exports. Ceviche may be the dish most closely associated with the country internationally, but Peruvian cuisine is shaped by Indigenous traditions alongside Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences. Ingredients from the Pacific coast, Andes and Amazon have helped create one of Latin America’s most varied culinary identities, making gastronomy itself a reason for travelers to visit.
The sustainability award also carries increasing importance. As global tourism grows, destinations are being challenged to protect the environments and communities attracting visitors in the first place. Peru’s recognition highlights the growing role of conservation, community-based travel and responsible tourism within the country’s broader strategy.
That strategy is unfolding alongside continued tourism growth. Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism reported more than 823,000 international visitors during the first quarter of 2026, a 3.5 percent increase compared with the same period in 2025. The government has also set a goal of reaching approximately four million international tourists during 2026.
For Peru, the World Travel Awards are therefore more than another collection of trophies. They reinforce a shift in how the country can be presented globally. Machu Picchu may introduce travelers to Peru, but increasingly it is the food, biodiversity, communities, landscapes and living culture surrounding it that complete the journey.
Six awards tell one increasingly clear story: Peru is no longer competing as a destination defined by one extraordinary place. It is competing as one of the most complete travel experiences in South America.
The six-award total and categories are confirmed by the official 2026 World Travel Awards results, including Peru’s wins for destination, culinary, cultural, nature and sustainable tourism, plus Machu Picchu’s attraction title. World Travel Awards The fourth consecutive overall destination title is supported by the official 2023 and 2026 award records. World Travel Awards Peru’s first-quarter tourism figure and stated four-million-visitor goal come directly from Mincetur. Gob Peru