Campaign against tour guides commissions starts in September

by the Colca Specialist

The secretary of the tour guides association ASGUIP TUCAY from Caylloma province,area where the Colca Canyon is located, announced today in the local radio stations from Arequipa that a campaign against the abusive commissions of tour guides from Arequipa will start the first day of September,after the festival of Arequipa.

Guillermo Rendón Cuadros announced at the same time that this campaign has a noble goal which is to reduce the commissions of tour guides from Arequipa, the same that are causing much damage to the imagen of tourism in Arequipa.

Corruption is one of the main problems of Peru and tourism is victim of this social problem too.

Susteinable tourism should be the main goal of tour operators from Arequipa but as it seems they don´t care about this situation.

The representative of ASGUIP TUCAY ,Guillermo Rendón Cuadros said that the members of this local tour guides association will not rest until the authorities of Arequipa put order to this situation that is affecting not only local businessmen but also tourists who are the ones that are paying extra not only in restaurants,but also in other services provided in Colca Canyon.

Tour guides commissions force the owners of restaurants and handicrafts stores to increase the prices of all services provided,affecting not only the local economy but the tourists budget too.

The tour guides are paid by travel agencies from Arequipa and by the restaurants through abusive commissions.

Tour guides associations from Arequipa were declared not welcome by ASGUIP TUCAY association because eventhough that they compromised themselves to put an end to this problem,their members continue with this bad attitude which is rejected by all the people of Colca Valley-Colca Canyon.

The Colca Specialist will join this campaign organized by ASGUIP TUCAY association and we congratulate this local guides association for having taken this decision that will benefit the local economy of the people of Colca canyon.

Motorcycling in Colca "not recomended"

by the Colca Specialist

Motorcycling is a fantastic sport and as I said before Colca Canyon and Colca Valley are the dreamed paradise of adventure sports,but to reach these places you need to take the road that goes from Arequipa to Puno before you reach the crossroads that will lead you to Colca Valley.
The way the peolple drive here is chaotic!

Alex Paul was an american tourist who rented a "chinese" motorcycle in Arequipa ,and he went alone by himself to Colca Canyon.

When he was coming back to Arequipa, at 5:50 pm aproximatedly,he took a curve and for his disgrace a bus from a company called "ANDALUCIA" was passing other bus on a closed curved!
These drivers are criminals on 4 wheels!

Alex Paul couldn´t make it and he was run over by the bus that invaded his side and died instantly.

Travel agencies in Arequipa are not specialized in adventure sports, and the tourist was not given the right information about the circuit.

First, he traveled alone without van support which is important and he was not informed that the road he was taking has the highest record of accidents and crashes beacsue of excessive speeds and careless maneuvers.

In Arequipa, there are no specialized motorcycling tour operators, so you should be careful about your tours.

As we said before, informality is a problem here in Arequipa ,so you should check your book guides and you can ask your tour operators for their licenses.

Besides you should check the equipment. Chinese motorcycles are not good quality and it´s like doing parachuting with old and torn parachutes!

Vacactions are important but your life is more important!
Tragic ends like Jean Pauls´s should be avoided!

Andalucía is the worst company in Colca Canyon. Don´t risk your life with companies like this!

This is a picture of one of the accidents ANDALUCIA had in Colca Valley.

As a personal eyewitness of Jean Paul´s accident ,it was terrible for me to see this young boy (23 years old) dying because of a fool who doesn´t care about traffic rules. Rest in peace Jean Paul wherever you are...

About the Reality Tour in Arequipa

by the Colca Specialist

Besides from the classical city and countryside tours in Arequipa which I named “C&C Tours” (Churches and convents tours),there is another option to be considered and this time I would write about The Reality tour in Arequipa.

The Reality Tour was introduced in Arequipa by Miguel Angel Fernandez Cayetano a former tour guide in Arequipa with more than 12 years of experience in this field of tourism.

With a vast knowledge about sociology and much creativity, Miguel decided to create a new option for those visitors interested in having a wider panorama of the actual political, cultural and economical situation of Peru.

Married with a dutch teacher and tour leader Saskia Teggels, the couple is involved in social work, tourism and education projects in Arequipa.
Miguel Fernandez is the manager of his own travel agency which is called A.I TRAVEL located in Arequipa in Santa Catalina Street 203.

The difference between the C&C Tours and the Reality Tour is that in the reality tour the visitor will have the opportunity of learning more about literally everything. Peru is a very interesting country with many different ethnic groups, languages, etc and the process it had to be what is right now it ´s very interesting.

The other tours are just tours out of the reality because tour guides and travel agencies have created a circuit which is really centered in historical data which would be interesting if it would be complemented with other cultural themes. Not everything is history. The quality of the information provided in the tours is really poor. Compared with the info provided by a lonely planet guidebook is really poor.

Besides, the tour vans take you to touristic places prepared for those that are interested in shopping or having fun, those tours are very touristic and not worth to be taken.
Tourists spend much time inside stores in these kind of tours. Good for shoppers only!

The Reality tour is the option for those that want to have something different not just prepared just for tourists.

The Reality Tour is offered only by A.I TRAVEL travel agency. Compared with others in the market the tour is cheap. Reality tours offered by other travel agencies are very expensive and the information provide is low quality. A tour done with somebody specialized in sociology and another done with a tour guide is totally different! Which one would you prefer?

I recommend to book for this tour directly in A.I TRAVEL through its website or directly in the travel agency.http://www.aitraveltours.com/
Intermediaries, informality and commissions are a problem in Peru so in order to avoid surprises, extra fees and others, buy it directly at the travel agency and not in the hotels.
Don´t hesitate in taking this tour that is recommended by several foreign guidebooks and enjoy the experience! Good luck my friends and enjoy Peru.