Peru gives in to protesters in Machu Picchu and rescinds ticket sales contract with private firm

Peru’s government has backtracked on plans to outsource the sale of entry tickets to Machu Picchu to a private company. The decision Wednesday comes one week after protesters blocked access to the site and rail service to the area was suspended. Despite the resolution, the streets, hotels and restaurants around the site — Peru’s most famous tourist attraction — remained almost deserted. Small businesses and workers in the tourism sector feared the new ticketing system would hurt them while benefiting big companies.