Global heritage group offers to work with Peru's government on improving conditions at Machu Picchu

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LIMA, Peru (AP) — A global heritage foundation that works to improve conditions at famous archaeological sites offered on Tuesday to work with Peruvian authorities on the famed Machu Picchu, where tourists often face hours of lines, overcrowding and unreliable local transport.

The announcement by the New7Wonders foundation comes months after it warned last September that a designation of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World — given to Machu Picchu in 2007 — was at risk because of numerous problems visitors face at the site.

Jean Paul De la Fuente, the foundation's director, said he had seen “no progress” at the archaeological site since last year’s warning, attributing it to Peru’s “political paralysis.”

De la Fuente, currently in Peru for talks with tourism officials, added that he was willing to meet with the next Peruvian administration to “explore solutions” to the poor services at the site.

There was no immediate response from the authorities. Peru will hold a presidential runoff on June 7 to decide on its next president — the ninth in a decade.

The race pits Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of a former president who was jailed for human rights abuses, against Roberto Sanchez, a former commerce minister who has promised to make major reforms to the nation’s mining sector. Whoever wins will appoint the next government.

“People travel to Machu Picchu thinking that they will visit a marvel of the world” De la Fuente said. “But for many that dream is turning into a nightmare.”

Machu Picchu, an Inca citadel built in the 15th century, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, the site was one of the winners of an online poll conducted by the New7Wonders foundation, in which tourists picked the seven wonders of the modern world.

De la Fuente said that tourism to the site has grown rapidly since then, but added that authorities in Peru have not made appropriate adjustments.

He stressed that he is not currently considering stripping Machu Picchu of its wonder of the world designation but would like to see the government consider a plan by his foundation for improvements.

“We hope to be able to work with a new leadership once its in place, to find a positive outcome for Machu Picchu,” De la Fuente said. “Going from a negative situation to making sure than Machu Picchu can be an example that many of the other wonders of the world can look up to.”