Suspend 90% of bookings in Chachapoyas due to the closure of Kuelap.

Since April, tourism to Chachapoyas, whose main attraction has been Kuelap fortress, was weakened by the closure of this great pre-Inca landmark due to landslides in its wall. The Ministry of Culture ordered a temporary closure and this directly affected the number of visits and therefore the reopening of associated companies.

Jeff Contreras, president of the Amazonas Regional Chamber of Tourism, explained that businesses dependent on tourism are hanging in the balance, especially because these national holidays promised an important recovery between July and October.

But this is not the only problem that has a direct impact on the area, as the suspension of flights to Jaen, which has led to increased transport costs, and the deterioration of the main land access road, have led to more than 90% of accommodation bookings being cancelled. canceled.

According to Contreras, the Ministry of Culture did not report on the current state of the wall or appreciate the unions’ request for an internal route to protect the monument.

New route – disappointment

Earlier this month, Promperú included alternative route for visitors to get to know Kuelap, but that leaves them far apart. This new route starts at the tourist hostel, continues through the natural environment surrounding the Kuelap fortress, and ends at a replica of the ancient chachapa house.

“Due to bureaucratic obstacles and inefficiency, MINCUL has not yet been able to open a partial internal circuit that attracts tourists. The alternative route, recently opened as part of the PROMPERÚ campaign “Visit Kuelap in a different way”, which allows you to get only to a point located about 150 meters from the wall of the Archaeological Complex, is completely disappointing for tourists, judging by the evidence we have collected and a monumental deception, ”specified he.

This directly affected the incomes of guides, transport workers and others, so the unions demand the participation of the state.

Closing of the airport in Jaén

The representative explained that there is another issue affecting tourism: the closure of the Shumba airport in Jaen and the Marginal Norte highway in poor condition, as well as the Cajamarca-Chachapoyas highway, have increased the cost of transportation for tourists.

He explained that Corpac has closed the terminal for repairs for 150 days, which has suspended the arrival of at least 7,000 visitors a month. While traveling through the airport Chachapoyas It remains an option, visitors perceive it as an infrequent alternative, plus there are fewer planes, and tickets from Lima are in excess of $300.

“It is not clear why CORPAC made such a decision on the eve of the start of the high season. It was possible to take advantage of the period of social immobilization to carry out repairs or start them at the beginning of this year.”, said José Llaja, President of the Association of Official Tourist Guides of Amazonas (Agotur).

urgent orders

The Marginal Norte motorway, which connects Bagua and Pedro Ruiz, is more than 8 kilometers in a row damaged by the November 2021 earthquake. The Ministry of Transport and Communications allowed a temporary passage with one lane and no asphalt, which led to an increase in the route. two to three hours. In addition, because of this, heavy trucks chose the route Cajamarca-Leymebamba-Chachapoyas, suitable only for cars, they destroyed the tracks, making it impassable.

“As a platform We demand to expedite the repair work at Jaén Airport. At the same time, urgent action is needed to rehabilitate the 8 km damaged section of the Marginal Norte highway, open the two-lane road and pave it with asphalt. Solving these problems will avoid the complete and inevitable ruin of the tourism sector,” concluded Manuel Cotrina, President of the Association of Tour Operators (Adotour).