[NOTE: La Republica just reported that Machu Picchu will open on October 15 according to regional director of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur), Fredy Deza. Obviously there is a difference in opening dates. I’ll update as more information is released.]
Both Andina News and Cusco Post are reporting that the Cusco region will begin the economic and tourist reactivation with free visits for Cusqueños to the 47 registered tourist districts, among them Machu Picchu, to then allow the entrance to the national tourists and, finally, to the foreigners, as announced yesterday by regional governor, Jean Paul Benavente Garcia.
He specified that the visits will be from October 5 and will include Machu Picchu, the 16 attractions offered by the Tourist Ticket and others, with strict compliance with health protocols to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
The priority will be to benefit the citizens who live directly and indirectly from tourism in Cusco, such as artisans, tour guides, travel agencies, micro entrepreneurs and businessmen. “This is the only way to return to what tourism was for the people of Cusco, which generated employment and income,” he said to Agencia Andina.
For his part, the regional director of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Cusco, Fredy Deza de la Vega, expressed his confidence that they will overcome the crisis that tourism is going through in three phases: containment, strengthening and recovery.
The first one, he explained, consists “in taking care of all of us to come back soon”, a time in which 4,480 people are trained in a virtual way in surveillance, prevention and first aid in case of possible cases covid-19, promote tourism regulations, surveillance plans, tourism culture and biosecurity protocols.
In this sector, 1,100 artisans will also benefit, 700 of them from the business sector with whom they address business plans. In addition, another 600 artisans will be formalized in a first stage.
The second phase consists of “preparing for tomorrow” by seeking to make the programs of the Business Support Fund (FAE) Tourism, Entrepreneurial Tourism and Reactive Peru more flexible, said the official.
During this period, the “tourist associations” will also be promoted, in a first stage, in the provinces of Calca and Urubamba, and will try to reach La Convención. The objective will be to form a corridor between the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Amazon.
Through technology, the Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Dircetur) will make a diagnosis of recovery of destinations before the covid-19. In addition, Deza de la Vega said that they will have a portfolio of investments and projects to be executed, to enter the recovery phase.
The free visits will be from October 5 and will include Machu Picchu, the 16 attractions offered by the Tourist Ticket and others.
During this period, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) international seal and the Cusco Safe Destination label will be obtained.
Benavente Garcia, the head of Dircetur and some mayors – others in a virtual way – met yesterday afternoon in the auditorium of the Regional Government of Cusco, where they showed their willingness to promote responsible tourism that encourages the growth of this sector.
Whopee!