PERU – A BRIEF GEOGRAPHIC AND TOURISTIC VIEW. THE ENE RIVER BASIN.

ABSTRACT

Tourism is an economic activity that is not sufficiently developed in Peru due to various factors which include the great complexity of the country’s geography. Modern methods of geographic analysis together with images from air and land expeditions, lead us to identify promising regions of the country for ecotourism in the eastern mountainous rainforests of the Andes, in particular the Ene river basin. Due to their remoteness and difficult access, the development of these lands has been neglected by both the government and the private sector. Some of these lands have become a haven for settlers who engage in illegal productive activities that are seriously damaging the environment and the traditional livelihood of the ancestral inhabitants of the region. A solution to the present crisis is proposed through an ecotouristic project that would take advantage of the countless attractive features of the region. This project requires serious interdisciplinary studies for designing imaginative uses of the lands, and decisive State support.

KEYWORDS: Ecotourism; Ashaninka natives; Narcotraffic; Depredation; Interdisciplinary; Sustainable development.

CONTENTS

• Prologue
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Selected Geographic Data Of Peru And The Ene River Region
• Topography - Biological Diversity - Political Divisions - Human And Cultural Diversity - Archaeology - Tourism Statistics And Its Geographical Distribution In Peru - Attractive Land Features - The Ene River Basin - The Ashaninka People
• Recent Developments In The Ene River Basin
• The Present Crisis: Forest Depredation And Narcotraffic
• Attractive Features Of The Ene River Basin
• The Great Natural Bridge In The Cutivireni Canyon
• The Creation Of A National Park In The Cutivireni Area
• Archaeological Potential
• The Need For More Exploration
• Criteria For Selection Of New Sites For Tourist Projects
• Proposal: Tourist Center In The Cutivireni-Quempiri Area
• Macro Tourist Air Routes For Central-Southern Peru: Present Situation Versus A Proposal For The Medium And Long Term
• Obstacles To The Sustainable Development Of The Ene River Basin
• The Need For Dialogue With Native Communities And Training Of Natives For Future Touristic Development
• Some Strategic Considerations
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgments
• References
• Links
• Image gallery