Integrating Nature Conservation and Tourism in Galapagos

• Introduction of the Galapagos Island

• Tourism Development • Tourism Model in the

Islands – a new vision• Tourism Management

System• Sustainable Financing

Voyage to Galapagos

Galapagos National Park

Galapagos Marine Reserve

Galapagos Marine Reserve

InsularArea

Area Extension Km2

%

Galapagos Marine Reserve

138,000.00 94.21

Galapagos National Park

7,732.58 5.60

Populated areaUrban and rural

262.80 0.19

234 emerged terrestrial units

94.21%

5.60%

0.19%

GMR GNP Pop Area

Galapagos

Islands

Fishing

Tourism

Migration

Invasive Species

The Galapagos Special Regime Law 2015

• Financing Protected Areas: entrance fee, annual

permits, other financing mechanisms

• Migration

– Residents born in Galapagos can work and buy

properties,

– Ecuadorian citizen or foreigners need permits to

work no more than 5 years.

• Productive activities: preference to local people

• Biosecurity: established protocols to transport

goods and materials from the continent

Protected Areas

Populated Areas

ECUADORConstitution

Chapter 2Rights of the good

way of living

Good way of livingNational

Plan

GalapagosManagement

Plan

Sustainable Development and Land Use

Plan

The Galapagos Special Regime Law

2015

Tourism Development

TOURISM MODELS

LIVE ABOARD

CRUISE TOURISM

LAND BASED

TOURISM

LIVE ABOARD CRUISE TOURISM

Around 80 Tour Operators1600 beds per week

LAND BASED TOURISMFishing Tours

Day Tours

Dive Tours

Estimated 500 Hotels=7000 beds /week

"Galapagos, a World Heritage Site, is the most important ecotourism

destination worldwide, thanks to a model of sustainable tourism

development, which guarantees the preservation of the environment,

the full satisfaction of the visitor and the Good Living of the community"

Governance

Destination reengineering

Market Positioning

Tourism Observatory

VISITOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Citizen Science

(Naturalist Guides Reports)

Invasive species conflicts

between activities, garbage,

species of interest, illegal

activities, etc.

http://741176402928187055.wee

bly.com/reporteguias.html

How many divers?

Divers profile?

Satisfaction ?

Why Galapagos?

Nature sightings?

Condition of sites

Monitoring Marine Tourism

http://741176402928187055.weebly.com/divestat.html

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Sources of income

Entry fees Governement funds Self funding Other

Tourism revenues for Galapagos

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Eddy Silva

Oceans and Coasts Program

WWF – Ecuador

Email: eddy.silva@wwf.org.ec