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Arbitrators Let Perú Belmond Run Machu Picchu’s Sanctuary Lodge Until 2028

The decision shifts pressure onto Cusco officials to prepare a transparent re-bid.

Overview

  • The three-member panel issued a 177-page award Wednesday, granting Perú Belmond 33.6 more months from May 17, 2025, which carries operations into early March 2028, with one arbitrator dissenting.
  • The ruling is final under Peru’s arbitration law and it lifts the prior court order that had barred changes to the hotel’s control.
  • The outcome keeps the state-owned hotel at Machu Picchu’s entrance under the current operator, a move workers had said would help protect jobs and steady high-end visitor services.
  • The Cusco Bar Association urged the regional government to start work now on a clean, competitive public tender once the extended term ends.
  • Separate reporting contests a comptroller claim that the hotel backed a $20 million loan and highlights scrutiny of business links to presidential candidate Rafael López Aliaga.