Under new government measures, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the pearl of tourism in Peru, has been forced to reduce its daily capacity a month after reopening due to rising deaths and COVID-19 cases in the country.
The drop in revenue required access restrictions until May 9 for a total of 675 daily visitors, equivalent to 30% of capacity. Since its opening in March, Machu Picchu has received only 40%, ie 897 visitors daily.
The updated restriction applies to all archaeological sites in Peru located in high-risk areas during the current second wave of the pandemic, according to a rule that has been in effect since April 19.
In this regard, archaeological sites such as Machu Picchu can be visited only from Monday to Saturday. On Sundays, all facilities will be closed due to mandatory blocking for the entire population.
Since its opening, the use of masks is a must-visit for this citadel, built under the government of the Inca emperor Pachacuteca in the 15th century.
Machu Picchu, previously visited by 2,244 tourists a day, was closed in February after a new quarantine to avoid crowds, which were considered a major source of infection.
After closing in 2020, almost eight months after the pandemic began, the citadel reopened on November 1, closing shortly thereafter on January 31, another blow to tourism in Peru, the area most affected by the coronavirus in Peru.
In 2020, the region lost about 1,400 million dollars due to lack of tourists, and although the country’s GDP fell by 11.12% in 2020, according to official data, the decline was much stronger (down 50.45%). According to the latest data, Peru was the South American country most affected by the decline in international tourism. According to a GlobalData report, tourism in Peru fell by 73%. Recovery is expected only in 2022.