The Crossroads of Ecotourism Dependency, Food Security and a Global Pandemic in Galápagos, Ecuador

Abstract

International esteem for Galápagos’ natural wonders and the democratization of travel have contributed to a 300% increase in annual tourist entries to the archipelago from 2000 (68,989) to 2018 (275,817). The attendant spike in tourism-related anthropogenic impact coupled with deficient infrastructure development has put the archipelago’s natural capital and carrying capacity at risk. The complex nature of Galápagos’ food insecurity is linked to the archipelago’s geographic isolation, its diminishing agricultural workforce, international tourists’ demand for recognizable food, and a lack of investment in sustainable and innovative agricultural futures. Food security is key to the long-term well-being of Galapagueños, who sustain Galápagos’ tourism industry. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the vulnerability of human systems in Galápagos, especially the fragility of Galápagos’ ecotourism dependency. Galapagueños’ struggle to endure the tourism sector’s slow rebound following the 2020 travel restrictions points to an urgent need to implement food security measures as an indispensable component of the archipelago’s long-term sustainability plan. This article presents ethnographic data to discuss the tourism sector’s impact on local food systems, Galapagueños’ right to food sovereignty, efforts to increase agricultural production, and why strengthening institutional partnerships is vital to Galápagos’ food self-sufficiency.

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“…Moreover, agriculturally based economies in the Caribbean are already vulnerable to external shocks in the global capitalist system and face obstacles toward sovereign development in the recovery process from these increasingly powerful storms (A. Burke, 2021). Tourism growth projections raise additional concern with the tourism industry's will to account for the greater pressures it places on diverse socioecological systems and marginalized communities in host countries (Azcárate, 2020;A.…”

“…Burke, 2021). Tourism growth projections raise additional concern with the tourism industry's will to account for the greater pressures it places on diverse socioecological systems and marginalized communities in host countries (Azcárate, 2020;A. Burke, 2021).…”

“…In addition, pre-COVID-19 acceleration of tourism growth was projected to roughly triple the industry's environmental hazards by 2050 (A. Burke, 2021). These events highlight both the geographic vulnerability of the Caribbean and fiscal implications for the solvency of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) that depend on tourism as a means toward economic development (Grove, 2021).…”

“…The sustainability of tourism has been further challenged by the climate crisis, increased natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic (Grove, 2021; Sheller, 2021). Moreover, agriculturally based economies in the Caribbean are already vulnerable to external shocks in the global capitalist system and face obstacles toward sovereign development in the recovery process from these increasingly powerful storms (A. Burke, 2021).…”

“…Burke, 2021). In addition, pre-COVID-19 acceleration of tourism growth was projected to roughly triple the industry’s environmental hazards by 2050 (A. Burke, 2021).…”