Many destinations have upped tourist taxes in an effort to curb the impact of overtourism recently. And while most of the charges are pretty affordable – around an extra €7 a night on average – one travel destination in South America is set to double its already very expensive entry fee.
For the first time since 1998, the Galápagos Islands has changed the cost of visiting, with the new fees set to kick in from August. Visitors from most countries will be asked to pay a one-off fee of $200 (£159, €184) upon entry, double the current $100 (£79, €92) requirement. The amount for Bolivian, Colombian, Peruvian, Argentinian, Brazilian, Paraguayan and Uruguayan tourists is a little lower, set to rise from $50 (£40, €46) to $100. For Ecuadorian nationals, it will jump the most, from $6 (£4.75, €5.50) to $30 (£24, €28).
So why, exactly, is it going up so much? Like pretty much every other destination with a tourist tax, the hope is that the extra charge will deter prospective visitors and lower overall tourism numbers.
The Ecuadorian archipelago has 19 islands home to more than 9,000 species, many of which are endemic. Wildlife reclaimed the islands while the world went on pause in 2020, but tourist numbers have pretty much returned to 2019 levels since, with almost 268,000 paying a visit in 2022. The high number of visitors puts pressure on water and food resources, and risks disrupting the delicate ecosystem.
‘The Galapagos Islands are not only a national treasure but a global one,’ said Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism Neils Olsen, according to euronews. ‘It is our collective responsibility to protect and preserve this unparalleled ecosystem for future generations.’
The revenue will go toward the costs of conservation, infrastructure and local communities.
More on overtourism measures
At Time Out, we bring you all the latest info on overtourism measures and tourist taxes. Here is our comprehensive guide to all the destinations that want tourists to stay away, and here is our roundup of the places that are set to be a little more expensive to visit in 2024.
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