Peru to Save Incas´ Lost City from Threat of Tourists

Peru´s National Institute of Culture has released a 10-year master plan that is aimed at conserving the ruins of Machu Picchu, where heavy tourism and nearby development has endangered the so-called Lost City of the Incas.

Last year, UNESCO threatened to place Machu Picchu, Peru´s prime tourist destination, on its list of endangered cultural heritage sites. It has been on UNESCO´s World Heritage List since 1983.

In response, Peru´s National Institute of Culture has released a 10-year master plan aimed at conserving Machu Picchu and the series of intricate Inca paths which many tourists use to approach the city.

According to the document´s executive summary, 9,000 tourists visited the ruins in 1992, but that figure increased to 150,000 by 2002 and is expected to continue on the rise.