The airport is already under construction, and has been for nine years, during which there have been funding issues, corruption scandals, delays, and protests. But the controversial hub is now slated to open in late 2027.

Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications says the airport has cost about 2.3 trillion Peruvian soles (over €575 billion) so far, and the building work alone has employed 5,000 people. The result, they claim, will support one million locals.

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What is true is that, if and when it finally comes to fruition, Chinchero could change the way visitors arrive at Machu Picchu, which traditionally is via flights into Lima or the Incan capital of Cusco, plus days of trekking, or hours of transit by car and bus. The new airport is intended to give tourists more time and relieve pressure on Cusco, handle up to eight million travellers annually, and, authorities estimate, could boost visitor numbers by 200%. In what some say is an underdeveloped region, there are lodges and hotels that would welcome the growth.

But others are voicing concerns about the potential cultural and environmental impact of the airport and are calling for a proper analysis of “proper analysis” of the effect it will have on local infrastructure, where water resources and waste management are already overstretched. Typical Incan roads, terraces, and agricultural land are being destroyed by the project, they say, and soon aircraft will skim over the nearby Ollantaytambo archaeological treasures.

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The concerns are not only coming from expected sources such as archaeologists, conservationists, and Indigenous peoples, but also from Sacred Valley tourism operators and guides who warn that badly managed footfall and development could put the region’s natural assets—the watershed of Lake Piuray, myriad wildlife habitats, and heritage sites—at risk.

International experts agree that there is much at stake. Over 1.5 million people now go to Machu Picchu every year. In 2025, the New7Wonders project raised alarm bells about overtourism at the site, and UNESCO has warned that uncontrolled tourism at the citadel could put its World Heritage status in jeopardy. While Peru’s Ministry of Culture currently limits daily visitor numbers to 4,500 to 5,600, it is unclear how or whether that would need to change as visitor flows through Chinchero increase.

L’article Will new Machu Picchu airport save or endanger Peru’s Sacred Valley? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The New7Wonders project claimed in a statement issued on 13 September that Machu Picchu is in danger of losing its “credibility” as one of the world’s wonders, due to what it says is an increasingly poor visitor experience. The problem stems, the organisation says in an open letter, from “high pressure tourism without any sustainability measures” and “limited management and conservation policies,” as well as rising prices, unregulated ticket sales, the risk of damage to the site, and issues with local transport.

New7Wonders Director Jean-Paul de la Fuente told CNN that the warning letter should serve as “a wake-up call to get the house of Machu Picchu in order. We already have an official representative adviser in Peru itself, who is ready to support the process toward both short-term and more importantly long-term solutions.”

However, Peruvian officials do not seem to have taken kindly to the remarks, to which they have not even directly responded, instead issuing a statement on X appearing to cast doubt on New7Wonders’ own credibility. The Ministry of Culture pointed to UNESCO as “the only competent body to promote the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage.”

The Peruvian defence highlights that Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983 (well before it became a new “wonder”), does not feature on the UN’s list of endangered heritage, authorities noted. What’s more, their efforts to improve visitor management and implement monitoring and conservation tools were acknowledged by UNESCO at its 47^th World Heritage Committee meeting just two months ago.

Peru’s dismissal of New7Wonders may draw attention to the fact that New7Wonders has no authority other than “its own activities”, as it admits on its website. Those activities include making money from telephone voting and collecting license fees. It is not strictly a non-profit but is in fact both a foundation and a commercial entity (headquartered in Switzerland and operating under the registration Global Platform Limited). It is similar to the International Olympic Committee or National Geographic. Some might call it a paradox that a body that boasts about the “significantly higher tourism growth rates compared with the worldwide average tourism growth” that it generates for its designated sites, is now raising a red flag about overtourism.

Despite those contradictions, New7Wonders is not entirely wrong when it notes problems at Machu Picchu. Around 1.5 million visitors are predicted to have visited the 15th-century citadel in 2025 alone. Since early September, there have been repeats of transport issues already seen in 2023 as a result of local protests over transport concessions operating routes to the site. Trains have been blocked, and some visitors have found themselves stuck in the thermal spa town of Aguas Calientes (which ironically translates to “hot water”). Peru’s Ministry of Commerce and Tourism, its Ombudsman, and regional leaders in Cusco are all involved in trying to resolve the conflict.

L’article Machu Picchu in danger due to overtourism, says tourism promotion body est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

According to rail service PeruRail, residents blocked the railway route leading to Aguas Calientes, the town closest to Machu Picchu, with rocks of various sizes and “third parties” excavated part of the rails, leaving the route temporarily unstable and thus inoperable.

Peru evacuated some 1,400 tourists overnight from the train station that serves the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, while about 900 others remained stranded Tuesday as protesters blocked the railway tracks, officials sayhttps://t.co/xTklS6JG5A pic.twitter.com/lim7hdyLlS

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 17, 2025

During a radio interview, Peru’s tourism minister, Desilu Leon, said 1,400 tourists had been evacuated on Monday evening, while 900 still remained in Aguas Calientes. In a statement, police said 14 agents were injured during a clash with local residents while temporarily unblocking the tracks in order to evacuate tourists.

On Tuesday evening, Oscar Luque, representative of the Ombudsman in Cusco, said in an interview with AFP that evacuations had resumed. Protests had been put on pause until Wednesday, 17 September, leaving all remaining tourists the opportunity to leave Aguas Calientes.

Protest by locals

The residents’ actions were inspired by a conflict with the authorities and bus companies in charge of the tourist buses carrying between Aguas Calientes and  the citadel. Locals say there is a lack of transparency in the process of replacing tourist bus operator Consettur, whose concession expired a week earlier, thus leaving an opportunity for local businesses to step in. The so-called Machu Picchu Defence Front said in a statement on Sunday that they would continue to protest until a new local transport company started operations.

According to New7Wonders, a group highlighting global sites of major cultural heritage, an escalation of the conflict between the authorities and the local residents could harm Machu Picchu’s reputation. They have sent a letter to the Peruvian government addressing the matter.

In recent years, the Peruvian authorities have been known to take a particular stance regarding the management of (over)tourism on Machu Picchu. While many tourist attractions and sites of cultural importance across the globe have been taking action to limit the harm done by overtourism, the daily visitor cap for the citadel has been increased since 2024 in order to boost tourism. Instead of the previous 3,600 and 3,800 visitors per day, the new daily visitor cap at Machu Picchu allows for up to 4,500 to 5,600 visitors per day.

L’article Hundreds of tourists stranded on Machu Picchu due to protest est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Close to 1,000 people have been arrested in Ecuador since Tuesday 9 January, as the government faces off against organised crime in the South American country only recently considered a relative beacon of peace between narco states like Colombia to the north and Peru to the south and east. Those two countries are the world’s top two cocaine producers.

Background

Home to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador saw rapid development and progress in health, education and housing following the discovery of oil in the sixties. But more recently, the nation has become unstable as its ports became key export zones for cocaine gangs.

Its youngest ever President, Daniel Noboa, was elected in autumn 2023 following the dissolution of parliament due to the impeachment of the former leader. Another Presidential candidate, Fernando Villavicencio, a former journalist and anti-corruption activist, was assassinated during the campaign.

State of emergency

Violence has since escalated, with explosions, kidnappings, and prison escapes – including that of notorious gang leader Adolfo “Fito” Macías from a prison in Guayaquil. In response, Noboa declared a state of emergency and internal armed conflict, and ordered the military to wipe out the gangs behind the violence, with 22 of them designated terrorist organisations.

Peru, as well as declaring a mutual state of emergency, will assist Noboa’s efforts through the deployment of police and military. The aim is “to provide support to those already stationed at the Ecuadorian border, ensuring more intense control over the regular entry and exit of Peruvians and foreign nationals”, according to the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCO).

Travel advice

The FCO has also updated its travel guidance for the region. Tourists had previously been advised to stay inside their hotels. Now non-essential travel to coastal areas of Ecuador (Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elena, Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas) is to be avoided.

As for Peru, the FCO notes that authorities are undertaking “preventive measures to avoid the infiltration of subversive groups” into the country. Advising travellers to avoid crowds and stay alert, the FCO notes that while there are “no restrictions in place for anyone flying into Ecuador”, crossing the land border between the two countries will entail “an increased security presence” and various checkpoints.

In addition, “If you wish to enter Ecuador via a land border from Peru, you must present a criminal record certificate from the country where you lived for the last five years,” the FCO has pointed out.

L’article Peru declares state of emergency along border with Ecuador est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The South American nation’s Culture Ministry has announced that from next year it will be increasing the number of daily visits permitted at one of its most iconic sites: Machu Picchu and its Inca citadel. 

Up to 5,600 visitors per day 

Currently set at between 3,600 and 3,800 visitors per day, the new daily visitor cap at Machu Picchu will increase on 1 January 2024 to 4,500 per day, with flexibility built in to allow up to 5,600 visitors at certain times. 

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The increased quota will be controversial for some. The 15^th-century site, “rediscovered” to the outside world by American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911, has long been on many people’s bucket lists, but it’s arguable that post-COVID “revenge tourists” have perhaps been kept away by recent closures due to the effects of overtourism, as well as due to mass political unrest in Peru over the last year that caused road blocks and transportation issues. Tourist numbers pre-pandemic were reaching up to 4.5 million visitors annually, but have dropped to 2.2 million in 2023. 

Welcome, we’re open for business 

Now, the revised, more generous Machu Picchu daily visitor cap is being interpreted as a clear signal from government that the country is safe, open for business and welcomes tourists. With tourism and hospitality one of the country’s main economic drivers, usually generating around 4% of GDP and providing around 1.4 million jobs according to OECD figures, officials are keen to bring the sightseers back.  

However, with “slow tourism” around less well-known and less visited places gaining traction, do tourists have the appetite to head for such a remote destination only to be surrounded by over 5000 other visitors? 

UNESCO-recognised riches 

Machu Picchu perches at an altitude of around 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) in southeastern Peru, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) from regional capital Cusco. Built under orders from Inca ruler Pachacutec, it was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. 

According to @UNESCO, #Peru is the second country in the region with the most sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, and one of the top five on the continent. Peru’s heritage value to the world is impressively mesmerizing!

What are you waiting to #VisitPeru? pic.twitter.com/rNLebFa59K

— Visit Peru (@VisitPeru) November 16, 2023

For most people, visiting the site and the Sacred Valley involves a flight to Lima, then Cusco, some altitude acclimatisation, plus a train or an up to five-day hike to the citadel. The region offers a wealth of riches, such as a rich blend of local and colonial culture, salt mines and other Inca treasures. 

L’article Peru lifts Machu Picchu visitor cap in bid to boost tourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Lima and Piura regions

The affected areas are the Lima region around the nation’s capital, namely San Juan de Lurigancho and San Martin de Porras, as well as the northern district of Talara in the Piura area in northwest Peru on the border with Ecuador.

President Dina Boluarte said in an interview that the measures, which include suspending civil rights such as the “inviolability of the home” are aimed at building a “frontal fight against crime and organized crime.”

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Travel Weekly notes that “two other states of emergency are already in place in Pataz province in La Libertad and on the southern Apurimac-Cusco-Arequipa road corridor.”

Significant violent civil unrest

The UK Foreign Office is now advising that the government’s ability to provide consular help may be limited. “Political protests in Peru can lead to road blockades, suspension of train services, disruption in immigration services of land borders and airport closures – often without prior notice or estimated reopening timelines,” it said. 

“Protests can be unpredictable, can include violence, and can spread and escalate quickly. Clashes between protestors and the security forces have resulted in casualties in the past, which included significant violent civil unrest in the Puno and Apurimac regions in December 2022 and January 2023.”

“Local police and emergency services do not have the same capacity to respond to traveller emergencies in these regions as elsewhere in Peru.”

Why?

Crime in Lima went up by over 30% last year, from 120,350 reports in 2021 rising to 160,200 in 2022. Incidents in recent days include including the launching of grenades in San Juan, including in a nightclub. At least 15 people were injured as a result.

Some local authorities are demanding armed forces be deployed to help police fight crime, while some on the right of the political spectrum are calling for the introduction of sweeping powers such as the suspension of constitutional rights as seen in El Salvador. Boluarte’s government has so far resisted such calls.

Follow instructions, take water, cash and medication

So what can travellers do to stay safe?

“In Lima protests often have a focus in the historic centre, where access can be restricted, but can also spread to other areas. Other regions that have seen recent protests include Cusco, Arequipa and Puno,” notes the British Foreign Office.

“If you do decide to visit any area under a state of emergency you should follow instructions given to you by police, military or other officials. You should ensure you travel with a sufficient supply of food, water, cash in local currency and personal medication, and allow extra time to reach your destination.

“You should liaise with your local airline, hotel or tour operator for further advice and assistance that they may provide to mitigate disruption, and for information on alternate arrangements that may need to be made for onward travel, including bus and rail journeys.”

L’article Peru in state of emergency with new travel advice issued est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

“A foreign subject who stripped naked to then take pictures in the archaeological remains of Machu Picchu in Cuzco, was intervened by Police Tourism personnel,” announced the National Police of Peru (PNP) on its Twitter account. According to the authorities, a 26-year-old Swiss citizen was involved in the alleged commission of the crime against freedom, offenses against public decency and obscene exhibition.

The director of Culture of Cuzco, Maritza Rosa Candia, confirmed that the watchmen of the most important tourist spot of the country, realized that there was a naked tourist near the known as House of the Guardian, in the high part of the Inca citadel.

“Today there were two tourists of foreign nationality who were without clothes and that is not allowed in the Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu,” said Candia. “The visitors’ regulations clearly prohibit this type of act. Our personnel immediately acted and notified the police that they had to get dressed and leave the sanctuary.”

He said that in the presence of the police officers the photographs recorded by the visitors were removed, and then they were taken to the police station to continue the proceedings, because they were denounced for acts against modesty and good manners.

Gilles Metroz, 26 years old, with Swiss passport, was the one who posed without clothes, and the Frenchman Lucas Yves Marc Deveque, 23 years old, was the one who took the photographs. Candia also called on visitors to comply with the provisions of the visitor’s regulations and the recommendations provided by the Machu Picchu security personnel.

In recent time there’s been some debate surrounding the name of the historical site. In an article entitled ‘The Ancient Inca Town Named Huayna Picchu’, published in Ñawpa Pacha, the Journal of the Institute of Andean Studies, authors Donato Amado Gonzales, historian at the Ministry of Culture in Peru, and Brian S. Bauer, professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois at Chicago, reveal the true name of the architectural site to be Huayna Picchu.

Built around 1420, the city is believed to have served as an estate for royal Incas living in Cuzco, the capital of the Incan empire, but it was abandoned when the Spanish invaded the area. It was then lost in the Andes mountains only to be found again by American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Bingham was guided through the mountains by a local farmer Melchor Arteaga and sources from that time show that he was not sure what to call the city, but decided to settle on Machu Picchu based on a suggestion by his guide.

Emily Dean, professor of anthropology at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, clarified that in the Indigenous Quechua language, Picchu means “mountain peak”, while Machu means old and Huayna on the other hand means new or young. The fact that Bingham’s guide called the city Machu shows that locals had already known about the site long before the American explorer “discovered” it. Dean says that the mistake is not surprising, since non-Peruvian archaeologists did not fully understand Quechua and did not put much effort into researching the names of places.

To uncover the true name of the city, researchers Gonzales and Bauer first analyzed Bingham’s notes from the time he found the ruins. Page 47 from his field journal, dated 25 June 1911, the day after his first visit to Machu Picchu, shows Bingham asked Melchor Arteaga how to write the name of the site and the answer by Arteaga “Macho Pischo”.

The authors mentioned that despite their discovery of the original name, they “would not suggest that the name be changed since Machu Picchu is known worldwide”. Dean also said that the name of Machu Picchu is already published in thousands of books, articles, advertisements and legal documents and “the Peruvian people and their government have embraced the new name, so while it’s an interesting addition to the history of the site, it won’t change the modern name”.

L’article Two European tourists expelled from Machu Picchu for taking nude photos est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The protests that led to the closure of Machu Picchu started in December 2022, after Peru’s president Pedro Castillo was removed from office, facing an impeachment trial. His supporters began protests which led to the closure of roads and airports. The protests led to the indefinite closure of Machu Picchu on 21 January, as well as other popular tourist sites in the area, including the Sacred Valley and the city of Cusco.

We are delighted to hear from our LATA member, Amazonas Explorer, that ahead of the official reopening of Machu Picchu on Wednesday, 15 February, some tourists have already made their way to this amazing location.

Danny Callaghan, CEO of the Latin American Travel Association (LATA)

The Historical Sanctuary of #Machupicchu reopens its doors!
Our world wonder is now receiving visitors from all over the planet, with the same schedules, conditions and established circuits. Get your tickets here https://t.co/9mWLeyYjbi#MarcaPerú #Peru pic.twitter.com/amRh4Cq9fW

— peru (@peru) February 15, 2023

The reopening of the site is expected to bring an increase in demand, which had been uncertain due to the closure. Although the number of visitors to the citadel is currently capped at 2,500 per day, the reopening of Machu Picchu has been welcomed by Latin America tourism specialists, who have been waiting for this day since the closure of the site in December.  Tour operators are now planning trips to the region.

Lima, the coastal regions, Northern Peru, Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley are currently open for tourists. Inca Rail recently stated that their Ollantaytambo-Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu-Hidro-Electrica services have resumed, although with reduced frequency compared to the usual schedule. PeruRail is expected to return to its regular service schedule by Monday, 20 February.

“While there are still some sporadic roadblocks and reduced air services this is a big step forward towards a return to normal tourism services. We would suggest that tour operators build a little flexibility into itineraries for now, but if clients are travelling with a decent destination management company (DMC) in Peru, they will have a great holiday, and see the key sights with no problems,” said Danny Callaghan, LATA CEO.

L’article Machu Picchu reopens after two-month closure due to national riots est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Over 400 people were stranded in the area when PeruRail suspended train services to the tourist mecca last Thursday due to protest damage on sections of the Urubamba-Ollantaytambo-Machu Picchu line.

“We regret the inconvenience this causes our passengers however (it is) due to a situation beyond the company’s control because of the protests in Cuzco,” the statement said.

Those affected were eventually able to leave on Saturday when two trains evacuated them to Piscacucho where buses were available to take them to Cusco.

At least 30 people have been injured across the country. According to the Interior Minister, Vicente Romero Fernandez, police stations, government buildings and businesses have been targeted. In Puno, a southern city, a police station was set on fire, two police officers were injured and 11 people arrested.

Police accounts on Twitter are justifying the storming of the University of San Marcos by up to 300 officers, as well as the use of tear gas and armoured vehicles. They claim university authorities called in the forces of law and order after unknown persons took violent control of the campus. Fernandez said over 100 people had been taken into custody.

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The protesters are demanding new elections, constitutional change and the resignation of Peru’s sixth president in five years, former Marxist Dina Boluarte. Boluarte was sworn in after a failed coup d’etat by the previous incumbent. She is accused of presiding over massacres and having formed a civilian-military government after she created a coalition with the right.

Located 120 kilometers (74.5 miles) northwest of Cusco, Machu Picchu is one of South America’s premier travel destinations, attracting an average 2500 visitors a day at $50 a ticket for foreign tourists. Visitor numbers are lower than they used to be thanks to new rules put in place to protect the site which is recognized by Unesco as a Cultural and Natural World Heritage and was voted one of the modern Wonders of the World in 2007.

If you’re in possession of an entry ticket for 21 January or later, Peru’s Decentralized Culture Directorate and Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary Directorate have said it will be possible to claim a refund for up to a month after the protests have ended.

L’article Machu Picchu closed indefinitely amid political violence est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The riots have gravely impacted movement around the country, 5 airports closing down last week in the face of incoming attacks. Trains and busses across the country also stopped operating, cutting access to popular tourist locations like Machu Picchu, and leaving travellers stranded.

Peruvian authorities and PeruRail, the country’s operator for the south and southeast regions, which also serves links to the Inca citadel, are working to evacuate the isolated tourists. PeruRail announced it is introducing emergency trains to and from Machu Picchu, apologising for the interruptions “caused by a situation beyond the control of our company”.

Before the reopening of rail connections, Darwin Baca, Machu Picchu’s mayor, told CNN he had requested helicopters to evacuate the approximatively 300 stranded tourists. “The municipality, through the Tourism Unit, carries out the necessary coordination for the selection and prioritization of children and vulnerable people for the transfer on humanitarian flights, work that has been carried out in coordination with the National Police and the district Health Center”, the Municipal District of Machu Picchu said in a statement on Friday.

“With this objective, we are coordinating with the Municipality of Machu Picchu to ensure the proper boarding of people on these trains, prioritizing the care of the elderly, people with health conditions and families with children”, the PeruRail said in a statement.

The rail operator also ensured bus connections from Piscacucho to the city of Cuzco, where the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) has reopened, according to Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC). The MTC also informed that it coordinated with law enforcement to establish all the security guarantees so that passengers, air operators, crew and the entire aviation community can travel peacefully.

The Civil Aeronautics Directorate reported that travellers who need to go to the airport and are in the localities where curfew hours are in force, due to the state of emergency, must present their travel ticket as a safe-conduct to be able to circulate on public roads without problems. MTC also indicated that work is being done to reopen the Arequipa Airport, the country’s largest in the south region.

L’article Stranded tourists evacuated from Peru est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.