The Galápagos are no longer an exclusive destination island for budget-conscious scientists. Mass tourism and rental accommodation undermine the natural areas of the archipelago, with increased water, electricity, and waste management costs that the ecosystem is not prepared to bear.
Until recently, the only way to reach the Galápagos was to save up or invest in a private cruise around the archipelago. This approach, although limiting, could be considered a reasonable and sustainable alternative. Both the high cost of travel and the use of private guides were justified by the need to preserve the fragile ecosystem and the relatively low carrying capacity of the islands.
The opening of airlines, excursions, and alternative accommodation options such as Airbnb has made travel to the Galápagos much more accessible to local residents. The so-called “queen of Airbnb”, Alicia Ayala, rents her homes and apartments cheaply and effortlessly – a novelty that has attracted many residents to experience the Galápagos without spending a fortune.
The real problem is not the attractiveness of the islands to middle-class travelers. The issue is the lack of resources and opportunities on the islands themselves, which are overwhelmed with a continuous influx of people.
From 6,000 Visitors to Nearly 300,000
The number of visitors to the Galápagos is a striking illustration of the popularity of these islands. While in the 1970s, the archipelago received a mere 6,000 visitors, in 2025, the number of tourists reached 290,404 – that is, 4% more than in the previous year. Moreover, 62% of international visitors and 38% of domestic visitors came to the Galápagos.
The structure of travel to the Galápagos also changed significantly in recent years. For many years, the dominant form of visiting the Galápagos has been oceanic travel, which provided a controlled and limited flow of tourists through specially designated ports. In 2024, only 22 percent of travelers used interisland boats with excursion boats, while 78 percent traveled on land.
The shift has had positive consequences for local eateries and transportation companies, as well as for excursions and family budgets. People who could not afford a private cruise still managed to see the unique fauna of the archipelago.
However, all the visitors, whether arriving on board a private boat or a bus with dozens of other tourists, must live somewhere. On remote islands, all the conditions for living and even survival must be created, which is why water, electricity, and other resources are limited.
Airbnb Has Expanded Far Faster Than Hotels
In 2015, only 56 properties were registered on Airbnb. In 2020, about 350 residents offered their rooms for rent on this platform. About five years later, Airbnb accommodations have overtaken conventional hotels with a supply of more than 1,300 accommodations (as of 2025). An online listing in many cases represents an entire house or its part. Moreover, not all of these 1,300 accommodations are illegal. Some are licensed and officially registered, so they appear in the official lists.
The problem is the unregistered Airbnb section because, according to Ecuadorian law, any business requires state registration and permission. In addition, the authorities of the Galápagos region have the right to impose additional restrictions on tourism, including special restrictions for these regions.
Hotels, in turn, argue that they provide more comfort but have higher costs due to their responsibility for preserving the local ecosystem. By renting their homes, residents can avoid following specific rules and reduce the number of visitors. Thus, an unregistered apartment on Airbnb is an informal hotel without receptionists and control.
Airbnb argues that it only provides communication between property owners and renters and that it does not interfere with the state’s responsibility for regulating tourism. At the same time, the company emphasizes that local residents are eager to rent their homes and share the economic benefits of tourism with other residents.
The growth of mass tourism in the form of home stays is not ideal, but it is not the main problem.
While it is true that a backpacker who has rented a private apartment will not spend money on boat travel, this does not reduce the impact on the ecosystem. On the contrary, ships consume fuel and emit harmful emissions, and each cruise liner has a limited capacity. Replacing private cruises with local buses and flights allows more tourists to be transported at once, but at the expense of the islands’ natural areas.
In addition, the growing popularity of the Galápagos leads to increased air travel and the import of goods to the archipelago, increasing the risk of invasive species entering the ecosystem. According to UNESCO, tourism, an increasing population, unregulated fishing, and inadequate governance are the most pressing threats to the Galápagos.
The unique nature of the islands cannot withstand the pressures of growing society and tourism. However, the critical problem is not the visitors themselves but the absence of control and a coordinated approach to sustainable development. The competition between different sectors of the Galápagos economy for tourists will inevitably lead to discord and criticism of the current policies.
UNESCO promotes the principle of “zero growth” as the most viable solution for preserving the natural legacy of the Galápagos. In addition to regulating air travel and individual accommodations, the organization has asked Ecuador to consider a number of other restrictions. Limiting the number of visitors and flights may be a radical measure, but it is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the archipelago.
The popularity of the Galápagos cannot be denied, and its unique beauty continues to attract new visitors. However, it is necessary to find a compromise between maintaining the status of an exclusive and protected island and adapting to the growing demand.
The issue of Airbnb will not disappear if the Ecuadorian state puts a ban on unregistered private accommodations. Instead, a more balanced allocation of revenues between local business owners and the state will allow the tourism sector to develop sustainably. Regulating private entrepreneurship and imposing restrictions on all visitors to the Galápagos will ensure the protection of the natural treasure.
In addition, optimizing waste management and ensuring access to natural resources for residents will reduce the burden on the ecosystem. The Galápagos are not ready for mass tourism, which is why it is necessary to introduce a system that will help maintain the islands’ sustainability.
In conclusion, the popularity of the Galápagos should not lead to its transformation into just another tourist destination. The principles of ecology, as well as the needs of the local population, which are limited in natural resources, should be taken into account when developing policies. Airbnb is not the reason why the Galápagos are turning into a new Venice, but rather the symptom of the changing times. However, it is still essential to understand how much more visitors such an island can withstand.
