Machu Picchu opens its doors to welcome a visitor.

According to an announcement on October 12th by Peruvian Culture Minister Alejandro Neyra, Japanese tourist Jesse Takayama will be allowed to visit the Machu Picchu archaeological site after a seven-month wait. He purchased his ticket to the "Lost City of the Incas" on March 14th, the day before social distancing measures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic officially took effect in Peru, meaning Machu Picchu closed to tourists. Takayama then decided to stay in the nearby town of Aguascalientes from March until now, waiting for Machu Picchu to reopen.

Fortunately for Takayama, authorities decided to allow him to visit Machu Picchu alone before returning home. Peruvian Minister of Culture, Alejandro Neyra, stated: "We allowed Takayama to visit Machu Picchu accompanied by the site's management, as this was his dream to come to Peru." Accordingly, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture agreed to allow the Japanese tourist to enter the Machu Picchu sanctuary accompanied by the site's director.

With a ticket purchased in March, Takayama had the entire site "all to himself" and enjoyed the rare tranquility. Sharing his feelings from atop Machu Picchu, Takayama said, "This is amazing! Thank you all." The photos and videos he shared on his personal Instagram account of Machu Picchu received thousands of likes and hundreds of congratulatory messages.

The Inca ruins, a world-renowned tourist destination, were recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1983 and were voted one of the 7 Wonders of the World in 2007. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the "Lost City of the Incas" welcomed approximately 3,000-5,000 visitors daily. In 2018, more than 1.5 million tourists visited the area.

This tourist destination had planned to reopen to visitors on July 1st, but this plan was canceled due to concerns about the spread of Covid-19. The Peruvian government recently announced that Machu Picchu is expected to reopen to domestic and international tourists in November. However, the site will operate at only 30% of its normal capacity to combat the pandemic, equivalent to approximately 300 visitors per day.