Travel to
world-famous Machu Picchu in Peru’s
Sacred Valley has always been a long and somewhat arduous trek. According to BBC’s
report, that’s intentional, as the ancient Inca civilization selected its high
location in the Andes mountains in order to keep it clandestine.
But soon, the trip
to Machu Picchu could get much easier—and busier—because of a long-planned airport
now that’s under construction near the historic city of Chinchero. Proponents
say the project could boost tourism and jobs, but critics warn it may put undue
pressure on the region’s environment and cultural heritage.
The new Chinchero
International Airport is designed to give travelers a more direct route to
Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. Instead of flying into Lima and then
connecting to Cusco, visitors could eventually land much closer to the area’s
top attractions.
After years of
delays, the airport is now expected to open in late 2027. The project is
estimated to have cost about 2.3 trillion Peruvian soles (roughly $683 million)
so far.
According to
Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications, the construction phase has
already created more than 5,000 jobs. Once the airport is fully operational,
officials say it could benefit around one million people working in tourism and
related industries across the region.
The airport is
designed to handle up to eight million passengers a year. That could increase
visitor numbers to the Sacred Valley by as much as 200 percent, representing a
huge jump for an area that already sees thousands of people each day wending
their way to the ancient citadel during peak travel seasons.
Supporters say
easier access will help spread tourism dollars beyond Cusco and into more rural
communities. But many local operators, Indigenous residents, archaeologists and
conservation groups are protesting the project, arguing that it could have
serious ecological and cultural impacts.
The Sacred Valley,
carved by the Urubamba River and surrounded by the Andes, extends from Cusco
(once the capital of the Inca Empire) to the cloud forests Machu Picchu calls
home. Many roads, structures and irrigation systems have stood here for centuries,
and some are still in use today. Opponents of the airport say construction
could threaten watersheds, wildlife habitats and important archaeological
sites.
The region’s residents
note that local infrastructure is insufficient to handle a larger influx of
tourists. Some communities are already dealing with water shortages, waste
systems are stretched thin, and roads in and out of the area are already
heavily congested on busy weekends. A heritage impact assessment on the airport
project was still incomplete as of 2025.
UNESCO has also
been monitoring the situation and has warned that if visitor numbers rise
without adequate management, Machu Picchu could risk losing its World Heritage
status. Peru’s Ministry of Culture currently limits daily visitors to the site
to between 4,500 and 5,600 people, depending on the season.
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