More than 122,000 airplane tickets were sold during a joint campaign between Peru’s public and private sectors to promote tourism to Cusco after access to Machu Picchu was closed in late January.
“The campaign has done very well in the internal market,” state news agency Andina quoted Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Martín Pérez as saying. “Since it was launched they have sold more than 122,000 tickets at a promotional price of $49.”
The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism announced the “Cusco Pone” campaign on February 11 to promote national tourism to Cusco and surrounding attractions until Machu Picchu – Peru’s sacred Inca citadel and top tourist attraction – reopened.
The campaign provided Peruvian tourists discounts on hotels, airfare and tourism packages while repairs to the railway were being completed.
The president of Peruvian transport regulator Ositran, Juan Carlos Zevallos, announced after inspecting the train line last Friday that operations between the train station at Piscacucho and Aguas Calientes will be ready for April 1. He said the railway will be able to transport 1,500 tourists to Machu Picchu when the UNESCO World Heritage Site reopens on Thursday.
Peru’s National Institute of Culture, however, confirmed Monday it will ration the number of entrance tickets to Peru’s most popular tourist destination to ensure Machu Picchu isn’t inundated by visitors after the site reopens.
