Machu Picchu: Peru unveils plans for new airport

Source: BBC

Peru’s President Ollanta Humala has unveiled plans for a new airport near Cusco which he says will boost tourism to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and the surrounding region.

The current airport, which is only able to handle limited daytime flights, was not sufficient, Mr Humala said.

The government will invest $460m (£290m) in the project, he said.

Machu Picchu is Peru’s top tourist attraction but there are concerns over the impact of high visitor numbers.

“This new airport will not only mean more tourists will be able to come, but it will generate more jobs… and help surrounding communities,” President Humala said.

At a ceremony on Wednesday, he enacted a law that allows the expropriation of land in the town of Chinchero where the new international airport would be built.

The investment would help the government to tackle poverty, he said, “while always respecting ancient culture”.

Tourism is the main source of income in the region.

Machu Picchu is a world heritage site and the UN’s cultural agency, Unesco, has previously warned about uncontrolled access and urged the authorities to make conservation a priority. Read more.

Editor’s comment

Just want to share two verses from the Holy Quran in this context:

Say, ‘Travel in the earth and see how evil was the end of those before you! Most of them were idolaters.’  (Al Quran 30:43)

Surely, there have been many dispensations before you; so travel through the earth and see how evil was the end of those who treated the Prophets as liars.  (Al Quran 3:138)