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According to information from the year 2000 that tourism in Peru has created around 714 000 jobs (= 7.8% of the entire employment). Additionally each direct job in tourism creates 1.5 to 1.6 jobs in other economic sectors that provide the tourism industry with services, goods and infrastructure.
A good example for the economic potential in marine tourism development in Peru are the Ballestas islands. In 1999 the Islands were visited by 83 506 tourists. In the year 2000 the number had increased to 99 430 and by now (2006) should have arrived at approximately 150 000. In the year 2000 Mundo Azul estimated the income generated for the local economy in Pisco/Paracas to be between $US 7.8 and 9.2 million, creating around 800 direct jobs in tourism. In 2001 there were 45 hostals and hotels in the area with a total number of 1 894 beds and a total capacity of 691,310 overnights per year. From 1999 to 2000, hotel capacity had increased in 10.3 %.
At the same time however the Ballestas Islands are an example for an unmanaged and badly performing mass nature tourism which instead of benefiting nature conservation has become the major threat to the breeding colonies of birds and sea lions on the islands, resulting in yearly reduced numbers of animals on the islands. (See Tourism Study in the area of Pisco/Paracas and Environmental Impact of tourism on marine and shorebirds). In order to avoid such bad ecological examples in other parts of the coast it is important to promote ecotourism and not nature tourism.
Ecotourism is a conservation tool and serves the sustainable development of local communities. Ecotourism must meet the following criteria: 
A ) The tourism operation must be designed and implemented in a way that creates minimum environmental impact.
B ) Tourism must contribute to the local economy and use where ever possible local services.
C ) Tourism must contribute financially to nature conservation.
D ) Tourism must be designed in order to educate visitors and local communities about the importance of nature conservation.
Ecotourism has the potential to:
- Increase local employment
- Generate income for local business.
- Be a potential for cultural exchange
- Diversify local industries
- Improve local health services, education and Basic infrastructure development, which can be used by both, visitors and locals.
- Generate money for conservation
- Create interest in locals to protect their natural environment (as economic benefits are starting to come in).
