China News Service, June 15 (Xinhua)-According to a report by the "Central News Agency" on the 15th, Peruvian officials have said that the world-famous site Machu Picchu will be reopened in July, but will greatly reduce the number of tourists visiting each day.
On March 17, local time, the Peruvian government announced the closure of the border. On the border between Peru and Bolivia, soldiers set up roadblocks.
According to reports, Cusco Region President Jean Paul Benavente (Jean Paul Benavente) said that in order to comply with the new crown epidemic prevention regulations such as maintaining social distance, only 675 tourists will be allowed to visit Machu Picchu every day, this number is about the usual 1/4. The guide can only bring a small group of 7 tourists, and all members must wear masks.
Benavente said that Machu Picchu's restart is related to the loosening of national restrictions imposed since March 16. But the Peruvian government has not yet decided when to reopen the border, and it is still uncertain when foreign tourists can return to Peru.
According to reports, before the outbreak, Machu Picchu had an average of 2,000 to 3,000 tourists every day, and even 5,000 people visited every day during the peak season.
The epidemic severely hit the Peruvian tourism industry. In Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, 70 kilometers away from Machu Picchu, there are about 100,000 laborers relying on the tourism industry. According to the President of the Peruvian Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Sévalhos, Peru’s tourism industry has lost $3.3 billion in revenue this year.
Peru was the first to implement strict restrictions in Latin American countries. At present, over 220,000 people have been diagnosed in the country, and 6,500 people have died.