Tourists arrested at Machu Picchu after taking nude photos

Imagine traveling to see one of the biggest wonders of the world, only to be interrupted by the image of naked tourists goofing around. At Peru's Machu Picchu, this nightmare became true when two European tourists were expelled for indecent behavior last week.

The two European tourists, one from France and one from Switzerland, were removed from the UNESCO World Heritage site after being caught taking photos fully nude, posing in front of the ancient city.

The Peruvian National Police (PNP) wrote on Twitter, ‘The wonder of the world should be respected! A foreigner who undressed just to take pictures in the archaeological remains of Machu Picchu in Cusco was detained by PNP Tourism personnel,” and included a photo of them both.

The incident was reported on national radio and required an immediate police response.

Immediate police action required

The 23-year-old from France was required to delete the nude photos taken of the 26-year-old Swiss man. The two were taken to local police for further questioning and to seek additional charges.

#7maravillasdelmundo¡La maravilla del mundo se respeta!️Un sujeto extranjero quien se desnudó para luego tomarse fotografías en los restos arqueológicos de #Machupicchu en Cusco, fue intervenido por personal de Turismo PNP. #PolicíasEnAcción #Cusco pic.twitter.com/y5ouZe7eUR

— Policía Nacional del Perú (@PoliciaPeru) May 4, 2023

Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a world-class tourist destination that people travel from all corners of the Earth to visit. Prior to the pandemic, the site attracted millions of tourists annually, providing a significant source of revenue for the region.

Unfortunately, the pandemic held significant impact on the tourism industry in Peru and across the world, resulting in a notable decrease in visitor numbers to Machu Picchu, as well as economic losses for the local community.