Peru’s main tourist attraction, the Inca site of Machu Picchu, has reopened, says the Foreign Office.

The Latin American Travel Association described this as a ‘very positive step forward for the country’ which has been hit by political protests.

LATA CEO Danny Callaghan said: “We are delighted to hear from our LATA member, Amazonas Explorer, that ahead of the official reopening of Machu Picchu on Wednesday 15th, some tourists have already made their way to this amazing location.

“Cusco and the Sacred Valley are now fully open, as is Lima, the Coastal regions, Northern Peru, Arequipa, and the Colca Canyon.

Inca Rail has announced that their Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu – Hidro-Electrica services have resumed, currently at reduced frequency, but with Perurail expected to be running all services normally by Monday 20 February.

“Whilst there are still some sporadic roadblocks and reduced air services this is a big step forward towards a return to normal tourism services. We would suggest that operators build a little flexibility into itineraries for now, but if clients are travelling with a decent DMC in Peru, they will have a great holiday, and see the key sights with no problems.

“Inca Trail passes for April and May are selling fast, so clients need to get booked up.”

Martin Johnson, Director of Latin Routes said: “It is also great to see the protests calming down across the rest of the country and now generally taking place in particular locations, scheduled in advance and normally for short periods of time.

“Although a little flexibility is still needed in order to make adjustments to some client’s holiday itineraries, we are confident that clients can enjoy a great holiday to Peru and see the incredible regions and amazing attractions it offers.

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation, and hope that the people of Peru can find an amicable resolution to the current political situation.”