The visits to Macchu Picchu decreased by 25% in the period between January and June 2023, a few months marked by anti-government protests in which demonstrators cut off access to the Inca sanctuaryreported this Wednesday, August 16, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur).
During those six months, 319,648 visited the site considered one of the seven wonders of the modern world, compared to the 426,277 entries that were registered between January and June 2022, according to the Mincetur Monthly Tourism Report, prepared by the General Directorate of Investigation and Studies of Tourism and Crafts of the ministry.
In January, when anti-government protests were reactivated after a Christmas truce, protesters blocked train and bus access to the town of hot waterssettled at the foot of the Inca site.
Initially, only small groups of lucky people were able to access Machu Picchu by walking about three hours from a nearby hydroelectric plant to the almost 2,100-meter altitude where Aguas Calientes is located.
On January 21, both Machu Picchu and the Inca trail that leads to the site were closed completely until February 17 due to anti-government protests. Since then, the place has been recovering the figures until reaching again the 4,044 authorized daily visitors.
The Paracas Nature Reserve was the second most visited destination
The second place with the most visitors between January and July was the Paracas nature reserve, where 239,007 went, which represents a decrease compared to the 306,205 tourists in the same period of 2022.
Behind were the Ballestas Islands, which were attended by 191,729 visitors compared to 239,873 in 2022; the Moray archaeological complex (152,391 in 2023 and 266,167 in 2022), and the Pampa de Ayacucho historic sanctuary (94,546 in 2023 and 105,759 in 2022).
Source: Larepublica
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