Lima (AFP) – Peru’s ancient Inca citadel, Machu Picchu, celebrated Friday 109 years since it was rediscovered through American explorer Hiram Bingham, but the iconic site remained empty of tourists after plans to reopen the anniversary had to be abandoned.
The jewel of Peruvian tourism closed in mid-March as the country is locked up to fight the coronavirus pandemic, and a recent outbreak of infections has led the government to suspend its reopening plans indefinitely for now.
“Last year many other people came for the anniversary, but unfortunately this time we won’t have visitors because we still don’t have a reopening date for Machu Picchu,” said Darwin Baca, mayor of the Machu Picchu deal closure. Afp.
“It can be only in August, as cases continue in Cusco.”
The former Inca capital of Cusco is the closest city to the UNESCO World Heritage site.
The governor of Cusco, Jean Paul Benavente, announced earlier this month that visitors can return to Machu Picchu on July 24 if health situations permit; however, five days later, the coronavirus increased as instances in the area increased.
When the site is still open, it will be limited to 675 visitors according to the day, Baca said, compared to 5,000 in the overall high season.
Peru is one of the countries most affected by the pandemic in Latin America, with more than 370,000 cases and more than 17,000 deaths.
The closures of COVID-19 have decimated Peru’s tourism industry, with losses of $3.3 billion this year, and the Cusco region, where about 100,000 more people live off tourism, has been greatly affected.
Machu Picchu, which means old mountain in Quechua language that precedes the Inca Empire, was built for the Inca Emperor Pachacutec in the 15th century on a green mountain 2,400 meters above sea level.
It is a ceremonial center but there are also spaces committed to agriculture and residential spaces.