FEATURE - Galapagos islanders watch cruise ships pass by
Date: 05-Sep-02
Country: ECUADOR
Author: Isabel Proano
But there is one sight they may not see:
That of island residents opening tiny shops hoping at least some of the 80,000 visitors a year work up enough of a thirst under the equatorial sun to buy a drink in Puerto Ayora, a town known more for its tortoise population than its human beings.
Galapagos islanders claim they've been unfairly denied a piece of the pie as giant cruise ship companies and powerhouse travel agencies from Ecuador's mainland plan excursions for the tourists, most of whom come from the United States.
The cruise ships, "Galapaguenos" complain, travel from island to island rarely stopping in local towns, serving food and drinks and even selling souvenirs on board.
"Sometimes there's work, but very little, because all the trips are planned from the mainland," said taxi driver Juan Lopez, who has lived in Galapagos for 20 years.
Environmentalist Fabian Espinosa said big tour operators should seek ways to include the 18,000 locals in their business. Tourism in the "enchanted isles," part of Ecuador since 1832, already is operating at maximum capacity for the ecosystem, he said.
More than half of Galapagos's residents make their living from tourism, and others turn mainly to fishing, which can pose serious environmental risks as industrial tuna fleets from the mainland fight for space within the 51,338 square mile (132,900 square km) marine reserve.
The islands, located 600 miles (965 km) west of Ecuador's mainland in the Pacific Ocean, are home to giant tortoises, sea lions and exotic blue-footed birds that have enchanted animal lovers and ecologists worldwide.
Just three percent of the archipelago is inhabited by humans, while land iguanas and exotic birds roam free over the rest of the islands, whose wildlife inspired 19th century British naturalist Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection.
Some of the 18,000 Galapaguenos were born on the islands; others emigrated from Ecuador's mainland. Census data show that in 1950 the islands were barely inhabited, with just 1,346 residents.
TOURS ALL-INCLUDED
Mainland travel companies dominate the $150 million-a-year Galapagos tourism industry, representing a third of Ecuador's total tourism revenue, according to official figures.
Islanders know they have no chance of beating big business, but hope cruise ship companies could turn to locals to provide meals on board, sell handicrafts made from wood and coral, or dock in local ports to recommend a night on the town.
"My wife wanted to open a crafts shop to try to help out, but it wasn't worth it because when they sign up for tours in Quito, even crafts are sold on the boats," said 68-year-old tour guide Milton Mora, his skin tanned by the sun.
With heated swimming pools, a jacuzzi, restaurant and souvenir shops provided on many of the cruises, at a cost of between $1,500 and $4,000 a week, travellers have little incentive to spend too much of their leisure time - or cash - in local towns.
Budget travellers, or those who suffer seasickness, can travel to Galapagos on their own and hire day-long boat trips to visit different islands while sleeping on land.
The Environment Ministry admits the tourism industry in Galapagos is skewed but says islanders have little reason to complain. Unemployment is at three percent, far below the average of 12 percent plaguing the poverty-ridden mainland.
Sturdy cement houses line the streets of Puerto Ayora, in stark contrast to the tiny wooden shacks dotting the Andean highland or sugar cane huts on the coast of the mainland, where about half the people are poor.
ENVIRONMENTAL HURDLES
The government is working on plans to enhance the few spots foreign tourists sometimes visit, such as the bustling port and scientific research centre in Puerto Ayora.
But even projects like that are not so simple, environmentalists say, due to the highly sensitive ecosystem, which Galapagos park officials say can safely handle about 100,000
