by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:50 AM ET, Sat January 25, 2020
After a series of tourists damaged a portion of the Machu Picchu temple last week, officials in Peru are installing cameras and using drones to keep an eye out for troublemakers.
According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), National Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu head Jose Bastante announced a total of 18 cameras would be installed at the park, within the citadel and on the surrounding mountains.
In addition, Bastante revealed Drones would also be used to help monitor visitors and deter vandalism.
"We are going to strengthen security at Machu Picchu by installing high-tech cameras," Bastante told the AFP. "This will allow us to better control visitors and avoid any action or infraction to the regulations, also any type of risk."
The decision to increase security comes days after six tourists were detained for allegedly damaging a portion of the 15th-century Incan citadel. The group also reportedly defecated at the site's Temple of the Sun.
After a police investigation, five of the tourists were expelled from the country and banned from Peru for 15 years. As for the tourist who admitted to causing the damage, he was ordered to pay a $1,800 fine before being expelled from the nation.
Machu Picchu is the top tourist destination in Peru, with more than one million tourists arriving each year, and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
