An island with 30,000 residents receives 170,000 tourists annually
One of the Galapagos Islands has only 30,000 inhabitants, yet approximately 170,000 tourists visit it each year.
To prevent ecological damage caused by the tourist flow, the entrance fee will be doubled starting this year. This is the first increase in the Galapagos entrance fee since 1998.
Ecuador’s Ministry of Tourism has announced the new fees, effective from August 1, 2024. The entrance fee will increase from $100 to $200 for citizens of almost all countries, except for other members of the “Mercosur” trade bloc, which includes Argentina, Brazil, and Peru. For members of the bloc, the fee remains unchanged.
The Galapagos, along with more than a hundred islands, is included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Many rare and endangered plant and animal species inhabit the islands, called the “Living Museum.” Scientific discoveries in the archipelago continue. Last year, a previously unknown coral species, believed to be thousands of years old, was discovered here. In a report published by UNESCO in 2021, the Ecuadorian government was praised for reducing illegal fishing and controlling invasive species populations.