Not just for tourism, Peruvians travel without a visa to the UK to do business | trends

It seems that the United Kingdom and Peru wanted to celebrate early the bicentenary of their diplomatic relations by fulfilling – in the words of the British ambassador in Lima, Gavin Cook -“The biggest challenge over the past ten years or more of bilateral relations“.

“[El acuerdo] It was a very important milestone that created many opportunities, especially for Peruvian travelers who can take advantage of the opportunity to visit the UK for less than six months without having to apply for a visa.”, the diplomat noted in an interview with Gestion.pe.

“It’s great because now you can spend two or three days in London visiting Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye. They can also grab a coffee in Covent Garden and tour the British Museum, where last year there was a stunning exhibition on Inca and pre-Inca cultures.“, he added.

According to the ambassador to cookOther sites worth visiting are Stonehenge and tours related to series such as Game of Thrones and Harry Potter in Edinburgh. “The best period to visit these places is probably between March and the end of September. With weather like this, you can enjoy all four seasons of the UK“,” I notice.

Beyond tourism

Gavin Cook, who was in charge of the British diplomatic mission in Lima for 10 months, was also optimistic about the opportunities available to those seeking to boost trade and investment between the two countries, from visits by senior officials to delegations. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from various sectors.

“After the Davos conference, Minister of Economy and Finance Alex Contreras took the opportunity to travel to London and meet with Canning House (a forum focusing on Latin America), sovereign wealth funds and international banks to boost the potential of the Peruvian economy. In addition, in a few weeks we will have a commercial assignment from inPerú and Confiep. Previously it was difficult to regulate this because we had a very strict system“, It is to explain.

The ambassador stressed the opportunity to coordinate, with Promero, visits to small and medium enterprises in the textile, agro-food (fruit) and forestry products sectors, linking Peruvian suppliers to British markets, and thus increasing the harvest of their products to increase shipments to the UK. “The opportunity to do business in person is quite another matter and we want to promote this kind of visit over the next year, especially since we are going to celebrate the bicentenary of bilateral relations.“, He said.

In response to a question about the suspension of direct flights to London by British Airways due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador Cook said that the airline intends to restart it once the necessary studies are completed and the conditions of the global economy and the aviation sector are suitable for the company. “This is less about bilateral agreements than about decisions within BA.He finished.

Tips for travelers

• If you’re traveling and want to stay in central London, keep in mind that the minimum cost is £40-60 (48-72 USD) per day to stay in a shared room in a ‘hostel’, but if you want privacy, a hotel room Not less than £80.
• If you don’t mind an hour’s bus travel, you can stay at an Airbnb in Bexleyheath, Greater London, for much less (5 days for £350 for two during bank holidays).
• To get around, you need to get a transport card. In this case, oysters are a must, and they come at 7 pounds. Now, if you don’t want to buy it and have a debit or credit card contact, you can also use it. Just remember that your debit will be made according to the exchange rate used by your bank (1 pound = 0.8 euros).
• The cheapest means of transportation is the bus. Each ride costs around £1.15 and takes one hour. This means that you can take many buses in that period and you will only spend that amount. Regarding the cost of the metro, these areas are dealt with. date! If you only move between zones 1 and 2, your card will be charged the maximum amount transacted in those zones only (7.5 pounds in one day). If you go to other regions, the cost varies, so you need to be careful with it.
• The transfer never fails and is extremely accurate. It operates 24 hours (in the case of buses) and other hours on the subway. “On winter days, you need to make the most of the early hours of the dayrecommends Peruvian broadcaster Kathryn Bliss, after her recent visit to London.
• If you are a fan of The Beatles, you can not miss Abbey Road (a symbolic place is the cover of the album of the same name) and the recording studio is very close by. Another unmissable place is the British Museum, where you will find wonderful ancient works and relics, such as mummies and other treasures that were brought from different countries of the world (yes, Peru also has it here).
• Other must-visit attractions in the following order are: Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard. Big Ben in the hustle and bustle of the city; And the Palace of Westminster, which is just a few steps away.

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