Said to be ‘long overdue’, the revised one-off entry fee was decided due to an 'urgent need for sustainable tourism practices'. The raised funds will be put towards ongoing conservation efforts, as well as updating infrastructure and community programmes aimed at ‘mitigating tourism's ecological footprint on the islands’.
Neils Olsen, Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism said: "The Galápagos Islands are not only a national treasure but a global one. It is our collective responsibility to protect and preserve this unparalleled ecosystem for future generations.
“The adjustment in the entry fee, the first in 26 years, is a necessary measure to ensure that tourism in the Galápagos remains sustainable and mutually beneficial to both the environment and our local communities."
Although some concerns have been raised in the local community about the increased fee putting off travellers from visiting, the rate is extremely low compared to other popular wildlife destinations, such as the Masai Mara Nature Reserve in Kenya, which costs visitors $285 per person per day during its high season.
And with more famously overcrowded destinations recently introducing entry fees, such as Venice and Bali, it appears to be one of the best initiatives to tackle overtourism right now.