Journal of Undergraduate Research
Volume 8, Issue 4 - March / April 2007

Investigating Thematic Tourism as a Tool for Community Based Ecotourism in the Galápagos Islands

Jenny Basantes

ABSTRACT

Ecuador is a country with great tourist potential due to its strategic situation and great biodiversity. Galápagos is one of the world’s best examples of this biodiversity, and the archipelago an international attraction for ecotourism. Currently, tourism is concentrated on one island (Santa Cruz), which is home to most Galápagos residents and is the most commonly visited island.

This project was designed to better understand and provide reliable support in the development of community-based tourism. Using ideas from the community, new tourist services are identified. By doing this, local residents can be integrated to an entrepreneurial process that begins with the vision of harmonic development and culminates with clear and precise objectives: a well defined and feasible tourist model that benefits the local business owners and conserves the environment. A survey of visitors was also conducted to identify the demand for potential services and products delivered through community-based tourism.

Results show that community members are interested in  community-based tourism and have a variety of ways to provide new tourism products in the Galápagos. The visitor survey shows that the typical Galápagos tourist travels to the islands to see wildlife and experience nature. Although participating in many new community services were not priorities for existing services, this research shows that there are potential products that could be developed that might appeal to existing and new visitors to the Galápagos.

INTRODUCTION

The Galápagos archipelago is formed by 13 major islands (Santa Cruz, Floreana, San Cristóbal, Isabela, Santa Fe, Santiago, Darwin, Roca Redonda, Marchena, Pinta, Espanola, Genovesa, and Fernandina) and a large number of smaller islands and islets. The total of its surface is 7,850 km² (Acosta, 1979). Its population was 18,640 in 2001. The population's projection for 2006 is approximately 22,000 inhabitants distributed in the following way: Santa Cruz with 13,446 people, San Cristóbal with 6,651, Floreana with 104, and Isabela with 1,912 habitants.
 
Ninety seven percent of the Galápagos Islands are protected as a national park. Only three percent of the archipelago is populated. The Galápagos National Park (GNP) has worked collaboratively with the Charles Darwin Scientific Station, an international research non-profit organization, for approximately 40 years in the management of the park. This partnership represents national and international scientific support, dedicated to carry out studies regarding the conservation of the Galápagos Sanctuary and its spectacular flora and fauna. 

The Galápagos’ economy is monosectorial, based almost exclusively on the tourist activity. According to Ecuador’s National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) data in the year 2001, around 26% of the economically active population participates in activities that offer tourist services. In addition, other activities like trade, transportation, basic services supply, and construction are carried out for nearly 40% of the population who benefit from tourism in an indirect way (INEC Census, 2001). 

Currently, Galápagos tourism exclusively focuses on the National Park as an attraction and the sea for transportation. There is little to no contact with the local community.  By separating the tourists from the communities, local residents are missing many of the benefits nature-based tourism can potentially offer. Instead, Galápagos’ current tourism industry mainly benefits the big national or foreign companies that have a large tourist infrastructure.
 
The purpose of this project is to examine the possibility of increasing the ability for community-based nature-based tourism in the Galápagos. The idea is to be applied to create new services or tourist products based on the thematic itineraries, using the developed areas (i.e. areas not within the Galápagos National Park), and extending tourism visits,  The new products should also be managed by  the community and residents of many disciplines (e.g., anthropologists, doctors, historians, artists, agriculturalists, experts in local food preparation, and fishing) rather than by tourist operators exclusively.

METHODOLOGY

The present investigation was conducted using a tourism supply and demand analysis. First, the gathering of tourism supply information from San Cristóbal and Isabela was done through focus group interviews with various members of the communities ready to participate in new tourist activities. Focus groups were not held on Santa Cruz Island since a previous analysis of community-based tourism was conducted in October, 2005.

Focus groups were organized proportionally to each island’s population; therefore, six groups were interviewed in San Cristóbal (with approximately 7000 habitants) and one in Isabela (with around 1900 habitants). The focus groups were classified according to the participants’ ages, interests, professions, and genders. Tto provide a useful structure to the meeting, the participants were asked to complete a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) table.  This is a common tool in developing strategic plans for new initiatives (Patterson, 2002).

Galápagos tourist demand was gathered through 150 surveys directed to foreign tourists who visit Galápagos. The survey was designed to identify tourists’ willingness to participate in new proposals of community based activities (as identified by local residents), their participation in activities, current motivations to visit the islands, and their socio-demographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Tourism Supply Analysis

Tables 1 and 2 show the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of San Cristóbal and Isabela community, based on the focus groups held on June and July of 2006. It could be inferred that a great percentage of the population with varied resources is interested in becoming part of the tourism sector. They see Galápagos as a cluster that can benefit the residents without harming interest of enterprises already established.

San Cristóbal and Isabela are concentrating activities in the production of art and crafts of different types. The community believes that academic tourism, health tourism and artisan tourism and will let other community sectors integrate with them.

According to the information gathered in a meeting held on October of 2005 in Santa Cruz, there is a desire to complement the present tourism of adventure with cultural and artistic activities. This will allow visitors stay in the rural area of Santa Cruz in typical and representative houses of the galapagueño of the colonization time.

Tourist Demand Analysis

The second stage of the investigation focused on the study of the behavior and preferences of the tourist demand. Surveys were developed for two types of tourists: those who visit Galápagos through travel agencies, which implies that their time in the islands does not exceed eight days; and those who visit Galápagos without travel agencies such as students, volunteers, among others, that generally remain in Galápagos for periods longer than eight days.

A total of 150 tourists were surveyed: 144 tourists during the two first weeks of August of 2006 in San Cristóbal Airport and six foreign students residing temporarily in San Cristóbal on the same dates. Therefore, these results cannot be generalized, but they are valid because they correspond to a group of typical tourists visiting Galápagos in the two more common ways.

As shown in Table 3 the tourists who visit Galápagos through travel agencies, consider as the most important benefits facts like learning about the Galápagos ecosystem, enjoying a different and unique environment, being in contact with nature, and feeling satisfied supporting conservation. It shows a clear desire of international tourists to conserve the Galápagos and consequently they are arranged to unite efforts with locals to do it, knowing that this would give them intangible benefits of personal accomplishment.

Although they were low in tourists’ priorities, learning the Galápagos culture, meeting new people, keeping fit, developing skills and abilities (learning Spanish, cooking typical food), and being with people who share the same interests, were classified from important to very important for travel agency tourists. As shown in Table 4, longer staying tourists tended to rate these alternative tourism services and products higher. They were likely not a high priority for many of the respondents since they do not focus on the primary reason the Galápagos Islands are famous – wildlife and ecology. They have more to do with the tourists’ desire to benefit physically, psychologically, and emotionally, which explains why tourists consider them important even if they are not benefits commonly attributed to the Galápagos.

Table 5 shows that travel agency tourists have little interest towards the activities related to participating agriculture and fishing. Seeing and learning about commercial fishing and agriculture are slightly more important than practicing or participating in them. Table 6 illustrates that the students or people who visit Galápagos with an extended stay are more interested in these types of activities.

Table 7 illustrates that the preferred activities of the travel agency tourists are diving and hiking. Table 8 shows the relationship between the tourists’ proposed activities and the total time in Galápagos developing those activities. As the table illustrates, almost 40 % of the participants think that 2 to 3 weeks will be enough time to achieve their benefits. Approximately 47 % of them think that they can do it in a period of less than one week. And 15 % approximately wish they can stay longer than a month doing those activities.

To understand how age is related to activity preference, respondents were divided into three age classes: 1) 30 years old and younger, 2) 31 years old to 54 years old, and 3) older than 55 years old. Tables 9 and 10 point out that the young people surveyed, who stay in Galápagos for a relatively long time, prefer activities that support the local community, like volunteering and receiving Spanish classes, and they would like to stay longer than two months doing those activities.

According to Table 11, the people 30 years old and younger prefer activities related to keeping fit and learning about the environment. Approximately 40% would prefer to dedicate a long time to diving. Around 11% wish to learn about environmental sciences like geology, ecology, biology, among others. Twenty-one percent of the people from 31 to 54 years old prefer physical activities, want to see more islands, and know more Galápagos animals. Once they exceed the 55 years the tourists divide in a more balanced way their preferences by activities, like diving, visiting more islands, knowing more animals, and learning environmental sciences. All age groups, nevertheless, show greater preference towards physical activities like diving and sailing.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Results show that Galápagos residents want to be involved in tourism, and have unique and creative ways of integrating their culture into the tourism experience. In other words, many opportunities exist for diversifying and integrating Galápagos culture into tourists’ experience to the islands. However, surveys of the typical Galápagos tourist who arrive through travel agencies show there is not great demand for these new products. This is not surprising since existing tourists came to the Galápagos to pursue activities associated with wildlife and ecology–not culture and community. However, this group did show some interest in and rated many of these community-based tourism products as important. Also, tourists would be willing to extend their visits (potentially up to three weeks) to take part in community-based tourism.

The following proposals integrate the necessities and expectations of the tourists and the local community.

Providing a New Way to Experience the Galápagos Islands

Close interaction between tourists and community members can provide a variety of impacts (both positive and negative) to local residents (Wearing, 2001). This project was developed to allow local residents to plan their own strategy for developing opportunities that would help ensure the provision of positive community impacts (i.e., benefits) through increased interaction with tourists (Stein, Anderson, and Thompson, 1999).

At present, more students and volunteers are coming to the Galápagos and achieving the diverse experiences listed above and providing a variety of benefits to the Galápagos environment and local residents. These results show that existing visitors would likely want to extend their trips (up to three weeks), and new visitors might be attracted to the islands if more opportunities were present that provided them with these benefit opportunities as part of longer stays.

It is difficult to fully experience the Galápagos Islands during the normal four to seven day period. However, this is the average time most tourists spend in the archipelago. Also, opportunities to achieve benefits like resting, tranquility, peace, harmony with nature, and freedom sensations can only be attained if they are integrated into longer tourism experiences. At present, the traditional tourist who uses travel agencies to plan and design their trips, do not have opportunities to achieve these diverse benefits, nor do they provide for the multitude of community benefits, which could potentially be provided.

New Tourist Product Proposals

The community focus group results provided a diversity of specific opportunities that could be provided in the Galápagos to extend the traditional tourist’s stay or to provide alternative opportunities for a new tourist to the region. Although the tourism surveys did not show high priority for these community-based activities, the results show that alternative activities could be integrated into their Galápagos visits. The following section describes new products that are potentially feasible in the Galápagos. In other words, each of the tourism products below is framed within the commercial viability range, integrating the necessities and expectations of the tourists and the local community.

Product # 1: Galápagos Food

In order to satisfy visitors’ benefits of learning about Galápagos culture, developing skills and abilities (i.e. cook typical food), learning more about Galapagos’ ecosystem, and learning about agricultural and fishing practices, tourist should have the option to participate in the preparation and collection of typical Galápagos food. They will learn the entire food process - from the gathering and capturing of food materials to its cooking and preparation. At the same time tourists would learn about which of the Galapagos animal species can be harvested, the harvest seasons, and the different management techniques taken to protect and maintain their natural habitat.

Services and activities offered include:

• seeding, collection, harvest and preparation of own vegetables and fruits,
• capturing own marine food with the assistance of local fishermen,
• learning about the handling and strategies of the artisan fishing and agriculture, whose products soon will be consumed by the tourists and the community, and
• learning about typical Galápagos food preparation.

Product # 2: Typical Galápagos Residence

In order to satisfy the tourists’ desires to learn about the Galapagos culture, which was rated as important, tourists should have the option to live in local families’ houses, participate in the family’s daily activities, and receive direct attention from the residents who will teach them the best aspects of local culture.

Characteristics of the typical Galápagos residence:

• housing in urban and/or rural zones of the island with families. The families must have good information about Galápagos attractions and community tourist services and
• visitors will receive direct attention by local families. Local families will provide courteous and customized treatment for the visitor, balanced and healthy eating, and the integration of the tourist in daily family activities. 

Product # 3: Early Settlement of the Galápagos

Providing tourism services about Galápagos early settlers and lifestyles was previously proposed and studied for Santa Cruz Island.  The Santa Cruz community has the resources and is willing to offer a different type of visitor lodging, which will be representative of the Galápagos colonization time. This product can also complement visitors’ benefit of learning more about Galapagos community, customs, and early settlers’ lifestyles.

Services and activities offered include:

• visiting cultural historical and rural sectors of the island and
• learning about the history of the human colonization, such as settlers’ survival activities, materials used for the construction of their houses, and the type of food they consumed (especially fruits and vegetables proper of the region).

Product # 4: Local support

The idea of local support is to offer the tourists the benefit of feeling good or satisfied by helping the local community and ecosystem. This could be achieved by participating in Galápagos species conservation, being part of the recycling process, learning languages, developing social and scientific activities, sharing cultural information, and supporting technical projects.

Services and activities offered include:

• technical and scientific support to the community and local institutions to help to conserve sites or species and to solve problems such as:
• Preparation of preserves and jams
• Techniques for recycling
• Treatment of drinking water
• Conservation of species in danger of extinction
• Eradication of introduced species 
• Volunteerism in diverse areas,
• foreign language classes, and
• educational opportunities about Galápagos culture, history, ecosystem and conservation.

Product # 5: Galápagos Arts and Crafts

The purpose of offering arts and crafts opportunities to tourists is to provide unique opportunities for them to become strongly connected with local Galápagos culture as well as to interact with the natural environment. For example, photographing or painting gives visitors an alternative way to integrate themselves into the Galápagos environment.

Services and activities offered include:

• visits to artisan factories and/or the artistic expositions in order to see, learn the souvenirs’ elaboration process, acquire the products, or make them,
• attend painting, photograph, Latin dances, and music classes, and
• prepare preserves with local fruits.

 

Product # 6: Galápagos Health

Local residents proposed a variety of ways they can work with tourists that would directly improve their health and well-being. Exercise and recreation, healthy eating, tranquility, participation in transcendental activities like yoga, Tai Chi, macrobiotic diet, among others will enable people to maintain and improve their health. Modern living habits like high stress jobs, unhealthy eating, and sedentary lifestyle, directly relate to pathologies like overweight, cancer, diabetes, cardiopathies, arterial hypertension, mental disorder, and many others. (Dr David Basantes. Galápagos Province Health Director. Pto. Brown Baquerizo, San Cristóbal-Galápagos. June, 2006)

Services and activities offered include:

• taking part in
• yoga, meditation, aerobics
• massages
• physical, occupational and recreational therapies
• Learning about
• alternative medicines,
• macrobiotic diet, and
• well-balanced eating.

Future research

The newly identified tourist products in this study will become the first step to grow a new model of community-based tourism. It will be necessary to form a detailed configuration of such products, a cost/benefit analysis, and marketing strategies that the communities could successfully manage and tourists would participate.  Specifically, research would need to extend outside the Galápagos to identify new tourism markets, who are not currently visiting the islands. Research would examine areas that offer tourism products identified in this study to determine their visitors’: socio-demographic characteristics, motivations, travel patterns, and willingness to travel to other locations in the world (e.g., the Galápagos Islands). Also, research could examine the people who provide these alternative tourism products to identify the opportunities and challenges they find in supplying the products. Overall, research would quantify the probability and practicality of attaining visitor and community benefits by providing these alternative products.

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REFERENCES

1. Acosta, Misael. (1979). Galápagos and its Nature, Geography, Ecology and Conservation. Quito, Ecuador. Ecuador’s National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC). (2006). Galápagos Population Projection by provinces for the year 2006. Quito, Ecuador. Government Printing Office.
2. Patterson, C.  (2002). Chapter 2: The planning process. The Business of Ecotourism. Rhinelander, WI: Explorer’s Guide Publishing. (pp. 15-29).
3. Stein, T.V.; Anderson, D.H.; and Thompson, D. (1999).  Identifying and managing for community benefits in Minnesota State Parks.  Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 17(4): 1-19.
4. Wearing, S. (2001). Exploring socio-cultural impacts on local communities. In: Weaver, D.B. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Ecotourism. Wallingford: CABI Publishing. (pp. 395-410).

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