The UK trade is being urged to support year-round travel to Peru despite British Airways suspending winter flights to Lima.
The call came from the Latin America Travel Association as the airline confirmed that flights from Gatwick are to be dropped for winter 2017-18.
The service was introduced in May last year as the only direct air link between London and the capital of Peru.
The move comes as BA raises winter frequency to Mauritius instead, as previously reported by Travel Weekly.
BA was serving Lima three times a week in summer and twice a week in winter using a three-class Boeing 777.
A spokesman said: “We regularly review our schedule to ensure that we are flying to destinations poplar with our customers, during the months they wish to fly.
“As such we will be suspending flights to Peru this winter while demand is lower, and instead will increase our flights to Mauritius.
“This winter we will now be flying direct from Gatwick to Mauritius five times a week.”
Lata chief executive, Tony Mason, said: “The most popular travel months to Peru are between May and September with June to September being the optimal travel months for trekkers looking to visit the iconic Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.
“We are reassured that British Airways will continue to operate the Lima route during these key travel periods. The summer in Peru falls between December and March which is also the wet season.
“That said, the UK winter offers the chance to discover Peru away from the crowds and therefore LATA would urge the UK travel industry to continue to support the destination year-round.
“In addition to the BA route, LATA airline members LATAM Airlines, Air Europa, Avianca, AeroMexico, Air France-KLM, Delta and United Airlines all offer convenient routes to Lima on a year-round basis.”