Peru Launches First AI Travel Assistant in South America

The final stop for many travelers to Peru is Machu Picchu. But there are now many paths to the sacred ruins, some powered by technologies the Incas could never have imagined.

To that end, PROMPERÚ, Peru’s tourism promotion agency, using technology provided by Mindtrip, has developed an AI-powered virtual travel planning assistant.

Peru becomes the first country in South America to incorporate a conversational AI tool into its national tourism platform, according to a press release from PROMPERÚ.

While still in its initial rollout, the technology enables real-time interaction, offering recommendations tailored to users’ interests. The personalized recommendations help map out a visitor’s itinerary, often including stops travelers may not have anticipated when starting their search.

“This tool helps diversify Peru’s tourism offer by promoting lesser-known destinations, while making trip planning easier for travelers,” said Ricardo Baraybar, incoming tourism deputy director at PROMPERÚ.

Peru’s diversity of destinations makes it an ideal candidate for AI-powered tools that can elevate the travel planning experience. Aside from Machu Picchu, visitors can also explore the Amazon Jungle, Lake Titicaca (one of South America's largest lakes and the world’s highest navigable body of water), and the ancient Nazca Lines in southern Peru.

“Travelers can build experiences ranging from wildlife encounters and river expeditions in the Peruvian Amazon to exploring the volcanic landscapes and Colca Canyon in Arequipa, or sailing across Lake Titicaca in Puno,” noted Michelle Denogean, chief marketing officer of Mindtrip.

Such landmarks make Peru a bucket-list destination. In 2024, Peru welcomed a total of 3.26 million international visitors, marking a 29.37% increase from the 2.52 million recorded in 2023.

The AI tool is integrated into country’s official tourism portal Peru.travel, and pulls information from the accredited source so that recommendations are aligned with the destination’s official information, experiences, and storytelling.

In addition, PROMPERÚ provided nearly 50 key facts that were incorporated into the experience to help improve recommendation quality, destination accuracy, and traveler context. These inputs reflect local knowledge and help ensure travelers receive recommendations that are relevant, culturally informed, and aligned with how Peru wants to present its destinations and experiences.

The ease of the search is designed to help turn window-shopping into actual vacations, said Denogean. “The goal is to create a more intuitive and inspiring way to explore Peru, where every itinerary is tailored, and every journey feels distinctly personal,” she said.

Denogean added that the integration highlights the opportunity AI creates for traveler dispersion at a national level.

“Similar to how Brand USA encourages exploration beyond major gateway cities, AI can help surface lesser-known regions, cultural experiences, and local discoveries based on traveler interests rather than concentrating attention on only the most searched destinations,” Denogean said.