Defending the Sacred Valley of the Incas Against Misguided Tourism Development

Abstract

Sacred Valley (SV) of the Incas, the heart of the ancient Incan empire located at the river Vilcanota-Urubamba basin, is a rich cultural corridor. When Machu Picchu was inscribed onto the World Heritage List (WHL), ICOMOS recommended this declaration be extended to include the SV landscape in order to protect the entirety of the valuable cultural processes that have taken place within. However, the candidacy was never submitted. A dramatic change is now happening in the area due to the pressure of tourism developers with misguided conceptions. A project to construct an airport in the District of Chinchero, located at the center of the Valley, poses the greatest risk. The project has faced opposition for different reasons. Our focus is on the effects the project could have on the area’s heritage, specifically on three particular world heritage sites: The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (HSMP), the Qhapaq Ñan (QÑ), and the City of Cusco.