Machu Picchu once again confirms its status as Peru's top tourism icon and the main destination for foreign visitors to the South American country.
Of the total number of visitors to the Machu Picchu citadel, 78.4% (917,419) were foreign tourists, while 21.6% (252,970) were Peruvians.
Machu Picchu—one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World—sparks irresistible interest among travelers worldwide. They long to visit and explore the formidable Inca citadel due to its historical, cultural, archaeological, architectural, geographical, and geological attributes, among others of outstanding universal value that earned it recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
All travelers who visit Machu Picchu agree that, from the moment they first stand before the citadel set high on the mountain, they sense a unique energy. Later, as they begin their tour through its various spaces, this feeling turns their visit into an especially memorable experience they never forget.
Last weekend, Machu Picchu added a new international accolade to its list of honors: at the World Travel Awards—known as the Oscars of Tourism—it was named the World's Leading Tourist Attraction.
Is Machu Picchu the most visited destination?
According to the ranking prepared by Mincetur, Machu Picchu is not Peru's most visited destination.
Of this total, 1,760,465 visitors were domestic tourists (95.4%) and 84,621 were foreign visitors (4.6%).
This figure represents a year-on-year change of -19.8% and a recovery of 88.7% compared to 2019.
What other attractions stand out in the visitor ranking?
The
third most visited attraction was the Sacsayhuamán Esplanade (720,244 visitors), reflecting a year-on-year increase of 3.1%.
This figure also surpassed the 2019 level by 18.9%.
Of the total, 400,192 were foreign visitors (55.6%) and 320,052 were domestic ones (44.4%).
Another
destination with significant results is the Moray Archaeological Park (Cusco region), which recorded 598,881 visits, a remarkable 11.5% increase compared to 2024.
Additionally, this figure surpassed the 2019 level by 41.1%. Its international visitor flow grew by 15.5%, positioning it as one of the most dynamic sites in the Sacred Valley.
In the south, the Ballestas Islands, located on the Ica coast, welcomed 454,329 visitors, marking a year-on-year increase of 4.6%. Of the total, 282,857 were domestic visitors and 171,472 were foreigners.
Finally, Mincetur highlighted that these indicators consolidate tourism as a strategic sector for the national economy, with a strong impact on services, transportation, commerce, and local employment.
The government agency also reaffirmed that it will continue fostering intergovernmental coordination, improving tourism infrastructure, and optimizing service quality—key elements to sustain the growth of tourist flows in the coming months.
Fact
Last November, the Decentralized Directorate of Culture in Cusco (DDC Cusco) revealed that Machu Picchu received 149,977 visitors in October, similar to the figures recorded during the high season of July and August, when 156,680 and 153,655 visitors were received, respectively.
If Mincetur validates the figure, the citadel received just over 1.3 million tourists through the tenth month of 2025.
(END) MAO/MVB
Published: 12/9/2025