LA RUTA DEL RETORNO

What happens when tourism stops in Peru's most visited region?

2020. Víctor Zea and Sharon Castellanos.
This work was supported by The National Geographic Society.

In Cusco, tourism has been the engine of the city and the crisis caused by COVID-19 has forced companies such as hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, artisanal shops and other community enterprises to close, generating many job losses.

As a result, one of the responses by the tourism communities has been to return to rural areas to work in agriculture as a mechanism of resilience.

Cusco

"The tourists used to start their route in Cusco city"

Chinchero

"Then, they used to come to my house in Ayllo Pongo community, after that, they continued to Maras"

Maras

"After Chinchero, they arrived to Maras, once they visited Salt pans of Maras and Moray they continued to Patacancha"

Ollantaytambo

"Ollantaytambo is an archaeological site,
it's the mandatory step to visit Machu Picchu"

Patacancha

"After Maras, they used to come to my house in Patacancha. The following day, they continued to Ollantaytambo on their way to Machu Picchu"

Aguas Calientes

"Aguas Calientes represents the lung of tourism in the Cusco region, it's the pillar of this economy based on tourism"

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