Seeing Machu Picchu once in a lifetime - that's what many people intend to do. The famous Inca city in Peru has around two million visitors every year. The country is trying to cope with the tourist crowds with limited ticket sales. Now there are protests because the tickets are sold out for weeks.
Hundreds of tourists in Peru have demonstrated to gain access to the famous Inca ruined city of Machu Picchu. They formed long queues in the village of Aguas Calientes below Machu Picchu and loudly demanded the sale of tickets, as was seen on Peruvian television. Some also slept on site at the point of sale in the open air.
The rush of local and foreign guests coincides with the national holidays in the Andean country this Thursday and Friday. That's why the tickets are completely sold out before the long weekend, the Peruvian newspaper "El Comercio" reported on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Culture, tickets will no longer be available until August 19th.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the ministry also pointed out that it was not until July 17 that the number of visitors permitted until December 31 was exceptionally increased from 3044 to 4044 per day - and that this is also the limit to avoid irreparable damage . The increase in visitor numbers should boost tourism revitalization in the Andean city of Cusco and throughout Peru.
The ruins of Machu Picchu are among the most important tourist attractions in South America and have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The city was built by the Incas in the 15th century and consists of around 200 buildings. It has around two million visitors every year.
Archaeologists and UNESCO have long been calling for the number of visitors to be reduced significantly in order to better preserve the ruined city. UNESCO advocates a reduction to a maximum of 800 visitors per day so as not to endanger the cultural heritage.
Machu Picchu can be reached either via a multi-day hike on the Inca Path ("Inca Trail") or on foot or by bus from the town of Aguas Calientes below.
