Peru has revealed plans to boost the daily allowance of visitors to Machu Picchu, the renowned UNESCO World Heritage site and the country’s premier tourist hotspot.
Currently limited to 3,800 visitors per day, this limit is set to rise to 4,500 starting January, with the prospect of reaching 5,600 on select dates. Projections indicate that the total number of visitors to the South American nation is expected to reach just 2.2 million by year-end, reflecting a staggering 50 percent decline from pre-pandemic figures, VisaGuide.World reports.
According to local media, in January 2023, amid protests against the Government, Peru’s Ministry of Culture took the unprecedented step of temporarily closing Machu Picchu. The closure left tourists stranded at the site in December 2022.
Although the iconic attraction reopened in February, the daily visitor limit was capped at 3,800. While this relaxation in restrictions holds the potential to revitalize the tourism industry, concerns linger about the potential impact of increased footfall on the delicat historic site.
In September, local authorities closed three areas of the ancient Inca archaeological site, due to damage caused by the crowds.
Constructed in the 15th century under the decree of the Inca ruler Pachacutec, Machu Picchu sits 130 kilometers (80 miles) away from Cusco at an elevation of 2,500 meters (8,200 feet). As a masterpiece of architecture and engineering, Machu Picchu gained recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981.
Playing a vital role in Peru’s economy, tourism drew around 4.5 million visitors to the country in 2020 before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the current year is anticipated to conclude with only 2.2 million visitors.
Unearthed in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu is often called “the lost city of the Incas.”
Currently, hundreds of thousands of visitors make the pilgrimage to Machu Picchu each year, overcoming crowds and potential landslides to watch the sunset cast its glow over the towering stone structures, basking in the enigmatic charm of one of the architectural marvels most popular in the world.