Charter companies halt fly overs of Nazca lines to protest government-ordered decomission of older planes

Charter plane companies that provide flights over Peru’s famous Nazca lines halted operations on Tuesday to protest a new government initiative to decommission some small planes in response to a spate of fatal accidents and close calls.

The strike has affected 350 tourists and is resulting in loses of $70 million per day to Peru’s tourism industry, state news agency Andina reported the president of Nazca’s chamber of commerce, Max Benavides, as saying.

“The strike is rejected among the people. Rather than discuss or deal with their complaints through the corresponding channels, these airline companies have opted for the easy path and are affecting the image of Nazca,” Benavides said.

The regulations announced by Transportation and Communications Minister Enrique Cornejo came after a small plane crashed during a fly over of the Nazca lines, killing six tourists and the pilot. Read more…

Peru’s National Culture Institute chief says Inca Trail to reopen April 1

The chief of Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) said Sunday that maintenance on the Inca Trail is on schedule for an April 1 following damage from torrential rains that also washed away portions of the train to Machu Picchu.

“We are working on this issue and coordinating constantly with the Minister of Tourism Martín Pérez, who has announced that Machu Picchu will be reopen in April, and on that date so will the Inca Trail,” Cecilia Bákula told state-run news agency Andina.

She added that a report detailing the damages to the the 27-mile (43 kilometers) trail — the world’s most famous four-day trek — would be released in the coming days. Read more…

Machu Picchu rail line expected to be restored ahead of schedule

Train access to Peru’s sacred Inca citadel Machu Picchu is expected to be restored on March 29, three days ahead of schedule, the general manager of Peruvian rail firm Ferrocarril Transandino, or Fetransa, said Thursday.

Fetransa General Manager Rómulo Guidin told state-run news agency Andina that travelers would be able to reach the 15th century mountain ruins from the train stop at Piscacucho, where the Km 82 entrance to the Inca Trail is also located. Read more…

Cusco tourism office proposes alternative trail to Machu Picchu

An alternative hiking trail to Machu Picchu is being proposed by the head of Cusco’s Regional Office for Foreign Trade and Tourism, Víctor Hugo Pérez, to allow tourists access to the sacred Inca citadel earlier than expected.

Pérez said that if the Piso de Valle trail is approved by the Machu Picchu Management Unit, UNM, the citadel could be reopened for tourism in March, state news agency Andina reported. Read more…

Machu Picchu to reopen on April 1

Peru’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Martín Pérez, said Tuesday Machu Picchu will reopen to tourists on Apr. 1, state news agency Andina reported.

Tourism activity to Machu Picchu was suspended last week following torrential rainfall, mudslides and flooding that blocked the railway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and stranded some 2,000 tourists at Machu Picchu Pueblo – the town below the citadel. Read more…

Cusco tourism campaign attracts 8,000 tourists on first weekend

A joint campaign by Peru’s public and private sectors to promote tourism in Cusco attracted more than 8,000 Peruvian tourists to the former Inca capital last weekend, state news agency Andina reported.

“Right now we have approximate figures of at least 8,000 visitors,” said Orlando Andrade of Cusco’s Chamber of Commerce. “We have noticed it has been successful not only among tourists from Lima, but also Trujillo and Arequipa, especially among workers from the public sector. Read more…

Tourism Ministry announces campaign with private sector to promote tourism in Cusco

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism announced a campaign starting today to promote tourism in Cusco by providing tourists a 50 percent discount on flights, hotels and tourism packages.

The “Cusco Pone” campaign is aimed at increasing tourism to the former Inca capital and surrounding attractions until repairs to the railway to Machu Picchu are completed, the ministry said in a statement. Read more…

INC rejects proposal allowing tourists to visit Machu Picchu via helicopter

Peru’s National Institute of Culture, or INC, rejected a proposal that would allow tourists to access Machu Picchu by helicopter and suspended all tourism activity to the sacred Inca citadel until conditions in the area improve.

Meanwhile, PeruRail issued a communique late Monday saying that repairs to its train line from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes — the town below Machu Picchu — should be complete by the beginning of April.  Service to Aguas Calientes from the station at Piscacucho (where the trail head to the Inca Trail is located at Km82) is expected to be back up and running before the end of March.

“Helicopter operations that have been authorized and that are continuing are exclusively for providing supplies and services for the population in (Machu Picchu Pueblo),” daily El Comercio quoted an INC press release as saying. Read more…

Airport investment expected to exceed $150 million in 2010

Investment in Peru’s airports is expected to exceed $150 million in 2010 due to the construction of a new airport in Pisco and the awarding of the concession contract for the second regional airport package.

Minister of Transportation and Communications, Enrique Cornejo, said the airport in Pisco – located about 180 miles south of Lima – will require an investment of more than $40 million, state news agency Andina reported. Read more…

Transportation Ministry: Machu Picchu will reopen to tourists in 3 weeks

Minister of Transportation and Communications Enrique Cornejo said Friday he expects Machu Picchu will reopen to tourists in three weeks following torrential rains, floods and mudslides last week that swept away parts of the railway into the sacred Inca citadel.

Cornejo told Radio Programas Peru tourists will be able to bypass blockages between Cusco and Machu Picchu by traveling part of the distance by road and the rest by train. He said they will establish two temporary bridges to help bypass the 10 obstructions that are currently blocking access to the citadel.

Machu Picchu’s only access route, besides hiking, is by train. The railway to the citadel was blocked last week when heavy rainfall, floods and mudslides battered Peru’s southern Andean region. Read more…

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