The Power of Connection: Where Adventure Unites Nature, Culture, and Community

This ITB Berlin panel, moderated by Elisabeth Hakim of PromPerú, brings together four voices on adventure tourism in Peru: Daniel Tischer (German travel blogger, South Traveler), Oscar Enrique Zuniga Valencia (Commercial Director, Salkantay Trekking), and Santiago Sánchez (Mujuna Amazon Lodge). The session opens with a cinematic video from Salkantay Trekking framing Peru's Andes through the concept of Pachamama — the Andean living earth — arguing that responsible tourism is not optional but 'a way of walking.' The core thesis throughout is that adventure travel has shifted from adrenaline and landscapes to deep human and cultural connection, and Peru is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this shift.

Daniel Tischer identifies culture as the critical bridge between adventure tourism and indigenous communities, warning that traditional practices risk extinction without tourism done responsibly. He illustrates the transformative power of community encounters with a specific story from Colca Canyon: a 12-year-old girl in the village of Yanque who learned English entirely from YouTube, had never attended school, and was already guiding tourists and teaching English to fellow villagers — a vivid case study in self-directed education and community preservation through tourism.

Oscar from Salkantay Trekking describes their operational approach to sustainability on the Salkantay Trail (near Cusco): pre-trip briefing sessions covering environmental requirements, prohibition of single-use containers and disposable bottles, and direct integration of local community members as horsemen, cooks, and tour guides. He frames local communities not merely as beneficiaries but as primary suppliers, with the company providing entrepreneurial training and job creation for local families across multiple ecosystems — mountains, jungle, and multi-experience routes in the Cusco region.

Santiago Sánchez of Mujuna Amazon Lodge delivers the most detailed operational account. Raised in the Peruvian rainforest, he recounts how his childhood guide Eduardo predicted rain by observing low-flying insects under a blue sky — a story used to argue that indigenous ecological knowledge is essential and irreplaceable. His lodge's conservation strategy centers on identifying 'key species' (notably the pygmy marmoset, one of the smallest primates in the world) as community organizing tools, using their charisma to build buy-in among locals and tourists alike. The lodge runs a trap camera project with PhD student Nick, involving local women to document wildlife invisible to guests — generating genuine excitement and scientific data simultaneously. Santiago is unusually candid about uncomfortable realities: he describes having direct conversations with illegal loggers as trust-building moments, and emphasizes showing up to monthly community assemblies (held every first Sunday) even when no other lodges attend. The lodge also operates an NGO running a basic literacy program for local children and teenagers, which Santiago calls 'central' to community integration.

Elisabeth Hakim provides the strategic framing for Peru as a whole: adventure tourism is now a strategic national priority because over 80% of German travelers already engage in adventure activities, with hiking being the most popular. She notes that adventure travelers spend significantly more than standard cultural tourists. Peru recently held its first outdoor expo to push lesser-known destinations — Ancash, Ica deserts, Amazonas/Kuelap — beyond the Machu Picchu circuit. She ends with a call to tour operators to prepare their clients for human interaction: asking waiters their names, learning their stories, creating personal connections that make destinations unforgettable.