Machu Picchu municipality to get part of tourist revenues

The Peruvian government authorized the municipality of Machu Picchu to grab 10 percent of what tourists pay for visiting the Inca village, an old claim that Mayor Oscar Valencia had voiced time and again in the past.

President Alejandro Toledo signed into law a bill that meets Mayor Valencia’s claims. Mr. Valencia had warned the whole issue could have turned out to be a bomb on the floor if his municipality wouldn’t have gotten a piece of the earnings.

Municipal authorities funnel part of their yearly budget into the preservation of archeological sites, the improvement of living conditions for visitors and the promotion of the local culture.

A plain visit to the Machu Picchu Archeological Park sets travelers back some $20, a figure that goes up to $50 if visitors wish to take the Inca Trail. The collected funds are managed by the Lima-based National Cultural Institute (NCI).

From now on, the NCI will make monthly deposits equal to ten percent of the earnings reaped by the Machu Picchu Archeological Park to the municipality’s bank account.

Founded in 1941 by decree, the Machu Picchu district embraces a grand total of 40,520 acres and provides housing to some twelve farmers’ communities.

The district comprises a natural park of 32,000 acres where the ruins of the Machu Picchu fortress –known worldwide as the Lost Inca City- are perched.