Letter from Cuzco
In the historic center of Cuzco – the gateway to Machu Picchu – travel agencies still list the 15th-century Inca city as their top seller. Perched on a rocky outcrop between the Andes and the Amazon amid a breathtaking landscape, the allure of this Peruvian architectural gem appeared undiminished. “Our customers are willing to spend several nights in the village of Aguas Calientes, at the foot of the site, just to get an entry. They can’t imagine returning to their country without having been there,” said Milagros Causi Paucca, the manager of a travel agency in Cuzco who nonetheless advised booking tickets well in advance.
With more than 1.5 million annual visitors, the site in the southeast of Peru is the most visited in the country; about three-quarters of the visitors are foreigners.
Yet, the sanctuary has reportedly lost some of its luster, according to Travel and Tour World, a multimedia tourism platform with 10 million readers. The site even downgraded Machu Picchu to a destination that is “no longer worth the hassle.” Machu Picchu now shares this status with other overtouristed destinations like Venice and Bali. The reasons cited include too many travelers, excessively high prices and the risk of damage to the heritage site. During peak season, the large number of visitors is said to cause erosion and the deterioration of the paths, in addition to weakening the sanctuary’s structure.
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