Cusco faces infrastructure and regulatory hurdles amid tourism surge

The Cusco region in Peru is facing significant logistical and structural challenges despite a projected surge in tourism. The Cusco Chamber of Commerce anticipates up to 50,000 visitors ahead of the historic visit by Pope Leo XIV in November. However, this growth is threatened by infrastructure vulnerabilities, including recent avalanches at the Humantay snow peak caused by seismic activity and landslides that have forced the preventive closure of sections of the Inca Trail.

Local authorities are also intensifying enforcement to manage the sector. During a multi-sector operation in the Intihuatana–Hidroeléctrica sector, officials identified a Ugandan national providing tour guide services without proper accreditation. The Regional Management of Foreign Trade, Tourism, and Handicrafts (Gercetur) has initiated sanctioning procedures against her. Additionally, authorities removed the license plate from a tourist bus found operating without authorization.

These issues highlight a disconnect between the region's significant economic resources—including over 970 million soles in hydrocarbon royalties—and the persistent deficiencies in local infrastructure and service regulation near key sites like Machu Picchu.