Cusco: More than 400 tourists stranded in Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo due to the 48-hour strike

The 48-hour strike in the Cusco region has not only meant a total halt for tourism, but also also a major blow to the economy of the region, since in just one day without activity the Imperial City has lost about 5 million soles. However, little or no attention has been paid to the hundreds of tourists who were stranded in Aguas Calientes due to the closure of railways and the cancellation of train trips,

Peru Rail will extend the suspension of its operations on the Cusco-Machu Picchu highways and vice versa for today, Tuesday, April 19. The cancellation of the service would have been adopted on the instructions of the concessionaire Ferrocarril Trasandino (Fetransa), which reported that they will carry out “the relocations they require at no cost and returns if required”, again affecting hundreds of tourists who are still waiting for their transfer from the district of Aguas Calientes to the city of Cusco by the alternate route.

The Centre for Business Studies of the Chamber of Commerce indicated that around 4,200 tourists had canceled trips and stopped entering the region due to the 48-hour strike, which means a loss of more than 2 million soles. While the president of the Cusco Chamber of Tourism, asserted that the total economic losses would amount to about 100 million soles.

For his part, tourist Oswaldo Ampuero, a native of Arequipa, denounced that the strike is already affecting local businesses and especially travelers, who are in the midst of total paralysis throughout the region.

Argentinian travel journalist Agustina López told her Twitter account that tourists are still unable to leave Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo.

“They can take care of tourists who chose their country and we are stranded in Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo. I have a flight to my country today and Cusco is blocked. Not to mention that I couldn't climb Machu Picchu,” she wrote indignantly.

According to him, the police are still guarding the area and there is no communication from the authorities about his transfer. In addition, the train with access to the city of Cusco has not operated since yesterday.

Even on the first day of the strike, Monday, April 18, it was reported that around 3,500 tourists had been stranded in various parts of the city. Many had flights scheduled for that day and had to walk to the airport, which is about 5 kilometers from the Plaza de Armas.

As you remember, access roads to Cusco are blocked, businesses have had to close and school classes have been canceled due to a 48-hour strike called by regional organizations in Cusco and the Tupac Amaru Cusco Farmers Federation.

GOVERNMENT ACTION

According to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur), actions were taken through the Tourist Protection Network to transport 3,500 tourists in the city. However, as already mentioned, there are still no details of the actions that will be taken to transfer tourists in Ollantaytambo or Machu Picchu.

As they said, a safe tourist corridor has been activated between Alejandro Velasco Astete airport and downtown Cusco to ensure the transfer of tourists who have scheduled flights on these dates.

“From Cusco, thanks to the Tourist Protection Network of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism, the National Police has been guaranteeing the transport of tourists through a safe tourist corridor from Velasco Astete Airport to the Plaza de Armas of the Imperial City and vice versa,” said Minister Roberto Sánchez, on his Twitter account.

“On the first day of the strike in the imperial city, approximately 3,500 tourists were transported by five National Police buses, from 06:00am to 4:30pm.” , he added.

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