2007

The November 2007 issue of National Geographic Adventure magazine released results of an extensive survey of hundreds of travel companies worldwide and Wildland Adventures scored 94.3% putting us 4th overall among the “Best Outfitters On Earth!”

Kurt Kutay, Wildland Adventures’ founder, has been a steadfast supporter of IGTOA. Wildland is participating in IGTOA’s new Traveler Funding Program.

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IGTOA member, Via Natura,  announced that its boat, the M/Y Monserrat, has been certified by the Smart Voyager program. As one of Ecuador’s leading conservation organizations, Conservación y Desarrollo <http://www.ccd.org.ec>  developed the Smart Voyager sustainable tourism certification program. This program is a member of the Sustainable Tourism Certification Network of the Americas (www.certificationnetwork.org <http://www.certificationnetwork.org/>  .

The program is designed to minimize the impact of tour boats in the Galapagos through monitoring and inspection of boats, proper management and storage of maintenance facilities, creation of adequate crew quarters and amenities, training, and follow up inspections. 

Achieving certification is not easy. Boat operators that meet the program’s high standards are certified and may use the Smart Voyager® seal of approval in marketing their services. The seal gives travelers the assurance that they are supporting operators who care about the environment, wildlife conservation, and the well-being of workers and local communities. “After much dedication, resources and time, we have achieved this important award which represents our commitment to conservation and sustainable tourism”. 

Via Natura says that they and Rainforest Alliance have also established an alliance to support best management practices in Sustainable tourism since September 2007.  This makes our Company one of the few inbound Tour Operators that promote this vision in mainland Ecuador”. They also reported that they have a new sustainable travel department and our sustainable hotel property collection in Ecuador.

Aerogal Airlines will begin operating direct flights between Miami and Guayaquil in early December, 2007. It will fly two 737-400 aircraft, with a capacity of 140 passengers each. Flights will be daily. According to Aerogal, ticket costs will vary according to the season, but they will be less than other competitors. According to the company, all of its planes are serviced and maintained exclusively in the U.S. by the FAA-authorized company.

From Galapagos Conservation Trust:

The third shark tagging expedition in the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) concluded last week. More and more is being discovered about these species, which still abound in the area, and each new piece of information enhances their management and further ensures their conservation.

The Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF), Galapagos National Park (GNP), WWF, and Conservation International (CI) launched this third voyage to seek an understanding of hammerhead, Galapagos, and whale shark movements inside and in the area of the GMR. The work of CDF’s BIOMAR team (Department of Marine Research and Coastal Conservation) has been supported by GCT’s Shark Campaign.

A National Geographic filming team went along on this trip to prepare a documentary on hammerhead research work and conservation in the region. During the operation, one hammerhead was followed for 44 straight hours, and two whale sharks and thirty hammerheads were tagged. In addition, all the information recorded in the previously installed underwater monitors was recovered. The most important achievement was the placement of two satellite tags on hammerhead sharks that are now emitting data on their positions…
Visit www.savegalapagos.org/nov07_2.html for the full article.

IGTOA would like to announce the arrival of a new member, our first in The Netherlands! It is Chalinga Cruises, and they have joined as an Associate Member. Their website is: www.chalingacruises.nl

Their company description: Chalinga Cruises welcomes you on the Galápagos Islands. As the ideal partner for a pleasant, carefree holiday we offer high quality custom made trips. We pay high attention to safety and comfort for our clients. Chalinga Cruises ensures you an unforgettable travel experience through the Galápagos archipel!