Peruvian authorities Wednesday decided to increase by a third the capacity of the archeological Machu Picchu ruins to welcome visitors, in a move to help the site's recovery after years of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing economic consequences.
Peruvian authorities have guaranteed tourist services are to remain operational in Machu Picchu despite the recent declaration of emergency by the federal government.
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of Peru's tourist sites, closed its doors Monday for an indefinite period for security reasons amid protests by locals over train services, officials said.
The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of Peru's tourist sites, reopened on Sunday with an ancient ritual after a nearly eight-month lockdown due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Peru opened the ruins of Machu Picchu for a single Japanese tourist after he waited almost seven months to enter the Inca citadel, while trapped in the Andean country during the coronavirus outbreak.
The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, a jewel of Peruvian tourism, will not reopen in July as originally scheduled due to concerns over the coronavirus, local media reported on Sunday.
The ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, a jewel of Peruvian tourism, will sharply reduce the number of daily visitors once it reopens from a virus-imposed closure in July, officials said.
Peru's government promised on Thursday to protect the Machu Picchu sanctuary and other Inca ruins when building a new airport to serve the ancient civilization's capital of Cusco. Machu Picchu and the Inca road system are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and the UN agency has previously expressed concerns over the proposed airport at Chinchero, less than 60 kilometers from the Inca sanctuary that was built in the 15th century.
Five tourists accused of damaging Peru's iconic Machu Picchu site were deported to Bolivia on Thursday and barred from returning to the country for 15 years, police and immigration officials said.
Five tourists arrested for damaging Peru's iconic Machu Picchu site will be deported to Bolivia on Wednesday, police said. A sixth was released from custody and ordered to remain in Machu Picchu pending trial after paying bail of US$910.