188 Mining Tourism (TURIMIN) program, which focuses on scheduled visits to major mining operations; although its current approach is primarily technical and centered on mining immersion, it could serve as a model for designing mining tourism experiences with broader public appeal (IIMP, 2025b). 7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7.1. Conclusions The conversion of mines, related facilities, and mining-related environmental liabilities into mining tourism centers represents a strategic alternative for generating new economic, cultural, and educational opportunities in regions historically linked to mining. From an economic perspective, it can help diversify the local economic base and create jobs; from a social perspective, it allows for the revitalization of depressed areas and the preservation of a highly valuable cultural and industrial heritage. For operating mines, experiential tourism can also serve as a tool for building community engagement and strengthening corporate reputation, provided it is grounded in verifiable standards of safety, transparency, and sustainability. However, the process faces significant challenges. Its viability depends on minimum conditions regarding safety, physical, chemical, and hydrological stability, environmental remediation, accessibility, financing, governance, and social acceptance. In Peru’s case, the potential is significant, especially at historic sites such as Santa Bárbara and at active mining operations that could incorporate experiential tourism initiatives. However, for this potential to be realized, it is necessary to clarify the applicable regulatory framework, strengthen coordination among various sectors—including mining, tourism, and culture—and incorporate incentives that allow for the preservation of certain mining components as part of sustainable post-closure use. 7.2. Recommendations Companies should adopt a progressive closure approach from the early stages of the project, integrating closure plans into the overall strategic planning of the mining operation with the aim of its conversion. It is essential to involve local communities and former workers from the outset of the process, drawing on their knowledge and experience. It is also advisable to explore multifunctional business models that combine tourism with other economic activities to ensure long-term viability. The state must create clear and stable legal and fiscal frameworks that encourage conversion and offer legal certainty to investors. Enforcement capacity must be strengthened to ensure compliance with closure plans and combat illegal mining. Fostering public-private collaboration is essential for managing industrial heritage and attracting capital. Local leadership must be developed to promote conversion projects and articulate the needs and expectations of the population. Training should be provided to former miners so that they can act as guides and managers of the new tourist sites, leveraging their knowledge and authenticity without excluding the local population involved.
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