Abstract
The Galápagos Islands have become an increasingly popular tourist destination over the last two decades. Numbers began to skyrocket at the start of the 2010’s, first eclipsing 200,000 visitors in 2013 (Tullis, 2016). People from around the world visit the islands to admire their rich biodiversity, visible through various unique plants, animals, and landscapes. Most of the land (97%) lies within the protected area of the Galápagos National Park (GNP), not including the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR), the second largest reserve in the world. Tourists that choose to visit the islands are required to follow rules designated by the national park to conserve the fragile, diverse, and endemic flora and fauna. Whether or not visitors are aware of how to behave as ecofriendly tourists, or follow these rules, has not been documented or analyzed in the literature, but is an important piece of the conservation equation to keep the islands “pristine” for future generations to appreciate. This study concluded via the use of opportunistic self-reported surveys, that most tourists surveyed believe they are aware of how to behave as a responsible ecotourist on Isabela, yet their inappropriate interactions with the biodiversity are being witnessed by both other tourists and residents. Both groups believe a lack of education is the result of this, and residents suggest more/better education prior and during visits may help mitigate this issue. Few associations were found between demographics and survey answers, but those that presented the most significant findings were tourists’ country of origin and most important activity during their trip, and residents’ thoughts on tourists’ respect for biodiversity and their enjoyment when tourists visit. Understanding tourists’ environmental responsibility is important to the biological conservation and preservation of the Galápagos Islands and the tourism industry. On a larger scale, understanding more about tourists’ behaviors, perspectives, behavior motivations, and influences could potentially be the missing piece in conserving popular tourism destinations, such as nature based protected areas. This research created a baseline of understanding that may be expanded upon to potentially aid in future conservation efforts that improve, update, and implement policy, programs, rules, and enforcements to protect and sustain the Galápagos.