Peruvian tourism minister Mercedes Araoz today discussed the measures that may be put into place to preserve Machu Picchu, including further entry controls and the construction of a cable car system, in association with UNESCO and the World Tourism Organization.
“We have to administer the entry system and the administration of tours, as well as the opening hours,” she said, at a ceremony to mark the site’s election as one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.
She added that her ministry is working alongside the private sector on several projects, such as the installation of viewpoint at strategic locations and new tour routes around the site.
She ruled out any increase to the entry price for the site, which currently stands at around US$38 for foreigners and $17 for Peruvians, saying “there is no reason to increase the cost of visiting Machu Picchu, and no technical study that suggests any price increase”.
On the other hand, Cusco’s regional president Hugo Gonzalez has suggested a substantial increase to the entry price, which is already significantly greater than that of any of the other sites elected as ‘wonders’. “Foreigners are already spending at least $1000 on their flights and accommodation, so they can afford to pay more for the main reason they came here.”
Gonzalez suggests free entry to residents of the Cusco region, a reduction to $10 for other Peruvians, and an entry price of $80-100 for foreign tourists. Including other fees and standard transport to the site, this would bring the total cost of visiting Machu Picchu from Cusco to around $200.
Filed under: Around Peru, Corruption, International, People, Politics, Scandal, Travel
He just got greedy. It is expensive already, and the locals have the opportunity to have a free entrance once a month to Machu Picchu.
This is why our country lives in proverty because people like Mr. Gonzalez …abusived and greedy.
The complaint I hear most often about Peruvian tourism is shameless markups, and poor service. I have only heard this and only witnessed this personally in Cuzco. There are plenty of places in Peru where people are friendly, prices are fair, and people have a phenomenal time. Lets see some other Peruvian wonders.
Sad.Not only rich people from US and Western Europe come to see Macchu Pitchu. Even a person from faraway ‘poor’India,will be delighted see it.Definitely ,I will have to spend my lifetime savings for that trip.If the authorities wishes to extract the last drop of my blood too,no comments,let them.
Dr.Pillai,Cochin.India
I have been to wonder of Machu Picchu. This magical place should been seen by all, rich or poor. Developing strict tourism procedures and placing limits on tourist numbers would do much better to preserve this truely wonderful monument. Grabbing for money will not. Do not bite the hand that feeds.
If the Peruvian government were to decide to put a cap on tourist numbers to Machu picchu (MP), the most effective way to administer this would be through a public auction, with capacity going to the biggest established tour operators who could afford to bid high. The price of tours to MP would subsequently rise anyway as the tour operators pass on this cost to their customers.
Another way would simply be to charge more for entrance to MP and thus use market forces to keep visitor numbers from sky-rocketing and thus impacts to a minimum. This strategy might also be fairer on the smaller tour companies based in Cusco who may not be able to compete in a public bidding contest for visits.
Both methods result in higher end prices for visitors, and is a normal consequence of high demand for a tourism site. The Galapagos Islands is a classic example.
Price sensitive visitors would thus see more value in visiting places like Choquequirao, which is under-visited at present.
What is uncertain, however, is whether visitors would choose not to travel to Peru because they thought the cost of seeing MP was too high. Maybe there is a study out there somewhere that looks at this issue.
A technical study should be on,raise the price on high season and lower the price at low season(included peruvians). MP “industry”should be almost free of intermediates.Ruled out new prices means”look to another wonder?
We are planning on going there this summer, however, if they keep thinking in rising the prices we will reconsider. I think it is quite narcistic and greedy to think that everybody will pay this amount just to see Macchu Piccu!! In case he didn’t notice; there are a lot of other wonders in the world, a lot of them even cheaper and even more impressive!!
Of course it should rise. $100 dollars it’s not much and believe me, after you see it you will think that every cent was worth it. It’s not only a Wonder of the World but the main attraction to Peru.
Everything in Peru it;s cheap. Dont be tight!!!
I`m from eastern Europe and dreaming all my life(33)to visit MP but if prices going to rise,I would never to be able to do this:(.I urge Peruvian goverment to reconsider this issue,and find the way to acieve they goals without rising the prices..for example,I`m willing to do some volountiering work for beautiful Peru,just to be able to explore and see mighty MP..sorry for my eng:)