U1 - Machu Picchu

What type of tourism is Machu Picchu?

Rural and cultural heritage/ historical tourism

Where is Machu Picchu?

Andes Mountain range, Peru

When was it built?

15th century by the Incas

What are the physical attracting factors?

• No precipitation

• Average temp of 15°

• Impressive mountain range

• Rural tourism (but still safe as only 80km from Cusco)

• Fairly unchallenged climb

What are the human attracting factors?

• Historical Inka settlement

• Primary tourism

• Healthy form of tourism

• Cultural heritage and hisory (educational)

• One of the 7 wonders of the world

• A safe destination

• Closest airport is Cusco airport

How much money does Machu Picchu generate for Peru?

$40 million annually

Why has the site suffered?

From experiencing mass toursim

By how much did tourism increase from 2004 to 2014?

It doubled - 600,000 to over a million

What was the restriction put in place?

In 2011, the limit of 2500 people a day was imposed and agreed by Peru & UNESCO

Why was the limit of tourists per day put in place?

• Vibration of thousands of feet a day was loosening the walls

• The site was being eroded by people going off the path

• People were climbing the rocks, engraving their initials, chipping pieces off to take home

• Hikers would pollute the path up, using Inca buildings as makeshift shelters…

What did the limit allow for?

Crowd flow control and management

What else was done to improve the maintenance of the site?

• New routes up to disperse the crowds

• Visitors need to buy tickets in advance

• Plastic bans have been introduced