00:30 | Cusco (Cusco region), Aug. 6.
The protocol established for the in-person sale of tickets to the
llaqta (Inca Citadel) of Machu Picchu "is working very well," as reflected in the speed at which the available tickets are sold every day,
Deputy Cultural Heritage and Cultural Industries Minister Moira Novoa stated.
In statements to the press, the Culture Ministry representative also reaffirmed that "for the moment, we cannot increase the capacity" of the Inca citadel, which is set at 5,600 visitors per day.
"The protocol is working very well," the official stressed.
"The daily tickets are sold in record time, which means it is working," she noted, referring to the 1,000 tickets sold every day under this system in Machu Picchu Pueblo.
Novoa recalled that this sales method has been in place since 2022, based on an agreement between the Ministries of Culture and Foreign Trade-Tourism (Mincetur), the National Service for Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp), and the Municipality of Machu Picchu Pueblo.
The aim of the agreement is to boost the economy of the aforementioned district, she noted.
"We respect these agreements," said Novoa, referring to calls to modify the sales method coming from sectors of commerce and tourism in Cusco.
"If any changes are to be made, we would need to reach a consensus with the other sectors. It is not solely a decision of the Ministry of Culture," she added.
No tickets available until September
On this platform, there are no tickets available until September, Novoa noted.
Under the in-person sales system —available only in Machu Picchu Pueblo— 1,000 tickets are sold daily and typically sell out by around 10 a.m. every day, according to the official.
Study on carrying capacity
On another note, the deputy minister announced that her sector, together with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, has an agreement in place to conduct a study on the carrying capacity of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
This study will allow for an assessment of whether the visitor limit to the site can be modified, she stated.
The high-ranking official specified that the study will begin in September and is expected to be completed by February of next year.
"It is a multidisciplinary study that will review the routes we have had in place since last year," said the deputy minister.
Its results must be submitted to UNESCO, the organization that lists Machu Picchu as a World Cultural Heritage site.
In the meantime, the capacity of the llaqta cannot be increased, as has been requested by authorities and business leaders, Novoa emphasized
In this regard, she recalled that it is essential to preserve both the cultural component —represented by the Inca citadel— and the natural component, as the area is a protected biodiversity zone.
(END) FGM/MAO/MVB
Published: 8/6/2025