Tourism

In recent weeks, Britain’s Prince Charles and U.S. actor Richard Gere have paid visits to the Galapagos Islands, along with China’s Vice-Premier, Hui Liangyu.

Prince Charles, 60, and his wife Camila stopped in the Galapagos during a 10-day tour of South America to promote sustainability and action on climate change.  Charles has used the tour to deliver warnings that the world must act if it is to prevent irreversible harm from climate change.  He first raised such issues two decades ago.  “If now people are beginning to realise perhaps, after all, I wasn’t talking complete nonsense, then I am delighted,” he said.  “All I have been trying to do is remind people that we have to live and work in harmony with nature if we are to have any chance of surviving on this planet,” Charles said, “We are, I fear, at a defining moment in the world’s history.”  Island chains like the Galapagos are especially at risk to the affects that global warming will have on sea level.

Richard Gere also made headlines recently when he visited the archipelago.  Galapagos National Park spokeswoman Vanessa Garcia says that during a visit to the Ecuadorean islands, Gere, 59, offered to speak out publicly for their conservation.  “He was very enthusiastic about the Islands and offered, for nothing in exchange, to become a spokesperson; that he would allow us to use his voice and image whenever needed for the Galapagos cause”, said Garcia.  According to the sources, Gere was trying to go unnoticed on his visit to the Islands, but was surprised to be caught by cameras.

The Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) played host to Hui Liangyu, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China on February 14th.  Over the hour-long visit, Matthias Wolff, Director of Sciences of the CDF, and Edgar Muñoz, Director of the Galapagos National Park, accompanied the Chinese Vice Premier and his 30 member delegation on a tour of the tortoise breeding center.

Sources:  The Sydney Morning Herald , Merco Press, and Friends of the Galapagos, New Zealand.

On the heals of multiple celebrity visits to Galapagos, Alex Trebek, the host of the game show “Jeopardy” has announced that he will also host a 10-day trip to the Galapagos with 25 Jeopardy! viewers.  The contest is set to start March 30, while the trip will take place on October 16th.

Source:  Jeopardy.com

February, 2009 - Congratulations to the 14 IGTOA member companies that were honored in National Geographic Adventure magazine’s “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” edition.

Wildland Adventures, Mountain Travel Sobek, Wilderness Travel, Journeys International, Natural Habitat Adventures, International Expeditions, and Myths and Mountains, Boundless Journeys, O.A.R.S., ROW Adventures, Peregrine Adventures, Butterfield and Robinson, Geographic Expeditions, and Zegrahm Expeditions were all featured in the February print edition.  Companies were rated according to factors such as education, sustainability, quality of service, spirit of adventure, client satisfaction, and “overall.”

Many of our members that were not featured in the print edition also scored in the top 10% in all categories.  Check out all of the ratings at:  http://adventure.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/outfitterhome

IGTOA is proud to have so many of the best adventure travel companies on earth as its members.

Source:  National Geographic Adventure 87, February 2009.

On Saturday, January 10th, a shark attacked a 22 year-old local surfer near Villamil Beach on Isabela Island.  Sources say that the attack happened near shore, and was likely a case of mistaken identity (as are most shark attacks).  The surfer reportedly suffered serious injuries to his leg and hand.

This was the second such shark attack since November 2008, when a Danish women was attacked south of the Island of Santa Cruz.

Sources:  The Underwater Times and a local resident.

IGTOA is sorry to hear about the tragic loss of the vessel M/Y Parranda to a fire on January 14th, 2009.  Thankfully, nobody was injured and all 15 passengers and 11 crew members were safely evacuated by zodiac to the M/Y Coral I, which was anchored nearby at North Seymour Island.  The Parranda was anchored approximately 1/2 mile off-shore from Bartolome Island, Galapagos, when the fire broke out during the night.

The cause of the fire remains unknown but is under investigation.  Sources say that at the moment there are no indications of any fuel contamination at the site or any other contamination as a result of the fire.  The Galapagos National Park is expected to issue a formal report on the situation shortly.