Tourist numbers in Peru are returning to pre-pandemic levels after the country was rocked both by COVID-19 and by years of civil unrest. The drop in visitors caused dramatic economic harm but also gave the tourism industry a chance to reconsider how it operates major visitor attractions like Machu Picchu.
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00:00The ancient terraces of Machu Picchu, alive with tourists once again. Visitor numbers
00:12finally back to pre-pandemic levels.
00:20It's a welcome return for residents in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes, including
00:25Yubitza Corimaya, who works in a local souvenir market. She saw her income decimated over
00:33the last five years.
00:37COVID-19 hit Peru hard. Visitor numbers dropped
00:53by around 80% during the pandemic, with the country's mortality rate the highest for
00:59the disease in the world.
01:04Succeeding years of civil unrest have also taken their toll on the tourism industry.
01:09Despite numbers now bouncing back, the troubles aren't over, as protests and transport strikes
01:15continue to target tourist hotspots.
01:19Many places in Peru rely heavily on tourism to sustain the local economy, including this
01:23city Cusco, a major stopover point for one of Peru's top attractions, Machu Picchu.
01:29Disruptions to transport links here can have wide-reaching implications.
01:37Roughly 200,000 people in Cusco work directly in the tourism sector, close to half of the
01:42city's entire population.
01:59Though damaging to the local economy, the years-long lack of visitors provided an opportunity
02:05for the Culture Ministry to re-evaluate how attractions like Machu Picchu operate, and
02:11better protect the ancient sites.
02:31But it might be a while before visitor numbers stabilise, as Peru is still grappling with
02:36civil and political turmoil, leaving those who rely on a steady flow of tourists fearing
02:42a return to economic uncertainty.
02:45Scott Huang, Harrell Hughes and Rhys Ayres in Peru for Taiwan Plus.