This terms rubs me the wrong way…

It conveys the message that we're all embarking on journeys motivated mostly by spite, even if it's directed at a virus.  But I'm confident that folks considering a trip to Galapagos are motivated by a deep and longstanding desire to get to know this iconic, even fabled archipelago.  Still, revenge tourism is a term you’ll likely have come across if you’re reading anything about tourism these days.   According to industry experts, after having been locked up by COVID since March 2020, we’re all charging out with a “damn the torpedoes – full steam ahead” attitude when it comes to leisure travel.

The Economist, a news / business magazine with a global readership recently published a short piece entitled:   Take that, covid! “Revenge” tourism takes off where they forecast tourism numbers in 2023 will nearly match those of 2019.  In the article, they state that:  

"International tourism arrivals, up 60% in 2022, will rise by a further 30% in 2023, to 1.6bn, still short of 2019’s figure of 1.8bn. But tourist receipts in 2023 will almost equal the 2019 total of $1.4trn, if only because inflation has pushed up prices"

 

At CNH Tours, our 2022 numbers were 80% of 2019 numbers, with this December being the strongest in our history.  Discounting those unlucky travellers who were caught up by COVID and finally embarked on their postponed trip this year, I feel that our 2022 numbers pretty much reflected those cited in The Economist. 

While early 2023 numbers are nothing to write home about (we also see that occupation rates on Galapagos ships are not as strong as they should be for that period), April and May are very strong and we’re getting bookings now for the summer months.   We’re even seeing a good number of bookings for 2024 – unusually early, but likely a sign of what’s to come.

So, what’s the moral of the story?  I think that it’s too early to talk about “Revenge tourism” for 2023.  While numbers are certainly bouncing back following the worst of COVID, they still have a way to go before reaching pre-COVID levels.  From where I stand, I do see some signs of a robust 2024 – given the level of bookings we’ve received already for trips more than 12 months into the future.

What does that mean for you?  As always, the more in advance you book, the likelier you’ll be able to find the ship, the dates, the itinerary, and the berths of your choice.  The larger your party, the more this applies. Also, as the 15 days or so around Christmas and the New Year are THE most in demand for Galapagos – if you’re contemplating something for Christmas 2023, now is certainly the time to seriously look into it.  

COVID policies in Ecuador

There are currently no COVID related restrictions in Ecuador (as is the case for most countries in the world).  There are no vaccination requirements nor are there any testing requirements.  A very small number of ships still call for proof of vaccination.