With new entry requirements, the Galápagos Islands are expected to increase tourist visits on holidays and the rest of the year

Last September, Galapagos already exceeded the number of tourists it received throughout 2020, a critical period marked by the pandemic in which its visits plummeted.

Until the previous month, the islands received 83,190 visitors, up from 69,000 last year. However, the Archipelago is still at 30% of the pre-pandemic levels.

As of this Saturday, new provisions will apply to enter the islands, after the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) decided to update the requirements. This raises expectations in the tourism sector for this holiday and the rest of the year.

With the new rules, visitors over 2 years old who have the two doses against COVID-19 and who present their vaccination card or certificate will no longer need a negative PCR test to enter. Of course, the last inoculation must, at least, have been applied fourteen days before the trip.

Galapagos Up Program regulates certain natural attractions of the Enchanted Islands

The obligation of a PCR, even if it is vacated, was in force for all travelers since September when a positive case of the delta variant of the coronavirus was registered in that province.

The Government of Galapagos specified that those who are not vaccinated must present a negative PCR test 72 hours before the flight.

“These measures seek to improve economic conditions and strengthen tourism, an activity that concentrates more than 85% of the archipelago’s population,” said that instance.

The Minister of Tourism, Niels Olsen, said that it was a homologation of measures to enter Galapagos and mainland Ecuador.

During the last four weeks, the islands did not report any new cases of coronavirus.

Andrés Ordóñez, executive director of the Galapagos Chamber of Tourism, considered that the changes made to access the islands will help the entry of tourists.

He explained that so far the arrival of Ecuadorian visitors has been important in the figures for this year, since the entry of foreigners is gradually recovering. 64% of the passengers who have gone to the islands are Ecuadorians.

The low arrival of foreigners is associated with the restrictions of certain countries, which maintain alert conditions against the pandemic.

After 16 complex months, Galapagos exceeds 13,000 visitors per month

Ordóñez indicated that since the holiday was announced in advance, it can help the arrival of tourists, since this is a destination that must be planned in advance. “If the tourist barrier of 13,000 is exceeded in November, it will be partly due to the holiday,” he said.

So far this year, the highest number of visitors was reported in August, with 17,491.

The gradual increase in visitors has led the airlines operating in that market to resume frequencies. Currently, Avianca and Latam have services to that market. Baltra is the airport that concentrates the largest number of frequencies.

Jorge Rosillo, manager of the Galapagos Ecological Airport, which operates the Baltra terminal, indicated that since April the arrival of passengers has been increasing. The gap between 2019, which was a relatively normal year, and 2021 is narrowing. “We expect to close October with less 20% of passengers compared to the same period in 2019,” he said.

For November and December, Latam will increase another more daily frequency, reaching up to 3 flights a day and Avianca between 2 and 3, reaching a total of 145 flights in November and 158 for December. “By mid-December the incorporation of new airlines is expected, which would increase the number of flights,” said Rosillo.

Tourism operators consider that this year it will probably not reach the levels of 2019, therefore they draw their expectations for 2022, the year in which a better recovery is expected.

The highest occupation currently occurs in accommodation on the islands, since cruise tourism, which moves visitors with greater purchasing power, is reactivated little by little.

He must know

Currently, in certain tourist sites on the islands, $ 10 is charged to have the service of a guide. This initiative began as a pilot plan before the pandemic and has been reactivated.

The idea is that by being with a guide, the visitors know details of the site they are visiting, obtain information and above all avoid any affectation to the species. This applies to the Fausto Llerena Breeding Center, in Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz), and Las Grietas.

The Galapagos Chamber of Tourism has requested information from the National Park on the status of the project and the results. (I)