Toruism in the Galapagos Islands

284 Words2 Pages
The main reason for tourism in the Galapagos islands are due to its remarkable plant and animal life. The island is home to many species that are found nowhere else in the world. The seas surrounding the islands have over 300 different species of fish, whales, dolphins, sea lions and seals. The reason that there are such a wide variety and rarity of species is that animals have evolved in isolation on the island for thousands of years . There is also a great variety of habitats and lastly there is an absence of predators, which also contributes to the reason that there are many tame land animals. Lastly, where the currents meet the islands, the upwelling of cold water brings nutrients to the surface, providing a rich source of food for fish, marine animals and sea birds. Tourists have another reason for visiting the Galapagos Islands: to follow in the footsteps of famous naturalist Charles Darwin. In 1895 Charles Darwin's epic voyage aboard HMS Beagle took him to the Galapagos. Many years later his observations of the animals and plants on the island inspired his theory on evolution. In 1995 estimates put the number of tourists visiting the island at 70,000 visitors per year. Although this is still tourism on a small scale this number represents an increase of 50,000 people in ten years. The Galapagos islands attract small parties of eco-tourists who come to experience its unique environment and wildlife. Visitors can fly in from Quito (the capital of Ecuador) and tour the islands by boat. All parties have guides who direct the tourists to some of the 45 official visitor sites where there are rich concentrations in
Open Document