Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

• Management systems/ management plan (Delays in reviewing the Master Plan and developing detailed yearly operational plans, and inadequate budgetary support for effective implementation; No evaluation of transport options, related geological studies, or the impact of bus traffic on increasing the risk of landslides; Lack of effective management of the property; Lack of risk management plans related to natural disasters)
• Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation (Uncontrolled visitor access to the western part of the Sanctuary)
• Flooding
• Inadequate governance system including lack of adequate coordination of activities between different institutions and stakeholders involved in the management of the property (issue resolved)
• Lack of impact studies related to the carrying capacity of the Citadel and Inca Trail (issue resolved)
• Delays in the development and implementation of a Public Use Plan (issue resolved)
• Delays in implementing urban planning and control measures for Machu Picchu Village, the main point of entry to the property, which has impacted on the visual values of the property (issue resolved)

Total amount granted: USD 15,000 Extra-Budgetary Spanish FIT support for the social participation workshop requested by the World Heritage Committee (Decision 30 COM 7B.35)

On 11 January 2021, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/274/documents/, which reports the following:

• From January 2019, entry times and the length of the visit are regulated via a ticketing system according to carrying capacity, and transportation is coordinated with entrance and exit times. From June 2019, access to vulnerable monuments is regulated, and from 2020 the admission to the Ilaqta of Machu Picchu is set at 2,244 visitors per day according to the carrying capacity defined to preserve the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
• In response to the request for the Study of Alternative Transportation to the Ilaqta to be undertaken once the carrying capacity is defined, the terms of reference (ToR) for two studies were developed but put on hold until the preparation of a new study of admission capacity when the Machu Picchu Visitor Center is in operation;
• In July 2019, the State Party submitted documentation on the new Visitor Centre to be built on the lower stretch of the slope of Machu Picchu Mountain, near the Ruins Bridge (Puente Ruinas). According to the document on carrying capacity (July 2020), the archaeological survey of the area proposed for the construction is not yet terminated and the environmental compatibility is not yet approved;
• A working document on the Comprehensive Strategy of the Amazonian Access was completed in 2019, which devises guidelines for the future comprehensive management of the property and wider area. Furthermore, a working document on the Strategic Vision for the future management of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu / National Archeological Park of Machu Picchu (SHM-PANM) was prepared, which proposes guidelines and strategies for the management of the property and will guide its conservation and sustainability;
• Regarding the requested review of the SHM Public Use Plan 2017-2021 (PUP), technical-regulatory instruments to strengthen the public and social management of the property are listed: the PUP, Site Plan of the Intiwatana Sector - Ruins Bridge and sanction measures;
• Progress on a Machu Picchu-Choquequirao Biosphere Reserve proposal included a cultural and socio-economic characterization study by the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco (DDC-Cusco) and natural characterization by the National Service of Protected Natural Areas (SERNANP). Discussions with local municipalities will resume when COVID-19 allows;
• Following COVID-19 closure of the property to tourism in March 2020, actions were reoriented to the conservation and investigation of cultural heritage, maintenance of service infrastructure and implementation of biosecurity measures. Entrance fees were waived in November and December to stimulate visitation, disaster risk management activities undertaken for forest fire prevention in the PANM, and virtual training and awareness raising. The update of the 2015-2019 Master Plan was initiated and a new Master Plan is planned for approval in September 2021.

On 5 August 2019, the World Heritage Centre transmitted a letter to the State Party requesting information on the construction of the International Airport Chinchero-Cusco located 60 km from the property, covering 40,000 m². On 23 September 2019, the State Party responded with numerous documents, for which an ICOMOS technical review was transmitted to the State Party in February 2020. On 18 March 2021, the State Party submitted a report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the “Study of Carrying Capacity and Limits of Acceptable Change for the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary – 2015” and results obtained from 2016-2019, completed in July 2020.

The development of strategies and guidelines for the overall strategic management of the property, including a Comprehensive Strategy of the Amazonian Access and a Strategic Vision for the future management of the SHM-PANM, is welcome. Noting the planned approval of a new Master Plan in September 2021, it is recommended that the new Plan is effectively harmonized with the various existing strategies, visions, operational plans, regulations and sanction measures, and to ensure its effective implementation to protect and manage the cultural and natural heritage of the property.

It is welcomed that the review of the 2015 carrying capacity study was completed in 2020, and that visitor limits for the property have been established based on the carrying capacity in relation to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). It will be important for the State Party to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of visitor management measures in relation to the defined carrying capacity. In this regard, it is also recalled that all infrastructure developments should be fully considered in the context of the OUV of the property. This includes  the potential indirect and cumulative impacts of the new International Airport Chinchero-Cusco documented in the ICOMOS technical review, in particular from construction work, operational practices such as flight routes and visual and acoustic impact, increased numbers of visitors to the area, as well as new associated infrastructure and tourist accommodation. All of these points should be appropriately considered through Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) processes. Specifically, noting the projected potential increase in airport capacity to 5 million passengers in 2031 and 5.7 million in 2044, and increase in visitors to the property from 1.5 million in 2018 to 2.1 million in 2044, it is important that the maximum number of visitors to the property is determined not by the capacity of tourism infrastructure, but by the visitor limits defined as part of the property’s carrying capacity.

The information on the project for the new Visitor Centre, submitted by the State Party in July 2019, was reviewed in a very positive manner by ICOMOS. However, the HIA and the EIA for the prospective construction site have yet to be approved. Finally, it is of some concern that the local population is still against the construction plan.

Acknowledging that the State Party halted the Studies of Alternative Transportation to the Ilaqta following the Committee’s request to base these on a defined carrying capacity, now that this capacity has been set at 2,244 visitors per day, it is recommended to proceed with these studies as soon as possible, since the transportation to and from the llaqta is an important variable for all aspects related to the management of the property. It is strongly recommended that the projects and study results (e.g. Visitor Centre, carrying capacity and transport) be coordinated prior to taking any action. All plans for interventions should be assessed via Impact Assessments (HIA and EIA) and should also be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

The further progress towards a proposal for a Biosphere Reserve is noted, recalling the potential for nature-based tourism alternatives to diversify visitor experiences and activities in the region. It is also noted that the COVID-19 closure of the property has allowed for activities related to the investigation and conservation of cultural heritage (including the installation of stone blocks and wooden stairs in order to protect original surfaces), maintenance of service infrastructure and disaster risk management for forest fire prevention.