Galápagos and More Destiantions in Ecuador, Peru and Other Nations Giving Test on Overtourism Management

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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September 1, 2026 10:40 PM

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Galápagos and more destinations in Ecuador, Peru and other nations face a new tourism test as rising visitor numbers push overtourism management, conservation and infrastructure to the limit.

Galápagos is no longer alone in facing difficult questions about tourism growth. Across Ecuador, Peru and other South American nations, destinations are testing new ways to manage overtourism without sacrificing tourism revenue. In Galápagos, tourism arrivals have risen sharply, while land-based tourism is creating growing pressure on infrastructure and resources.

In Peru, Machu Picchu faces a different but equally serious challenge, with UNESCO warning that visitor admissions remain above levels approved under its earlier carrying-capacity study. Therefore, destinations are being forced to rethink access, visitor flows, conservation, infrastructure and the long-term meaning of sustainable tourism.

South America’s Tourism Boom Faces a New Test as Overtourism Pressures Build at Iconic Destinations

South America is entering a new phase of tourism growth, but the region’s expanding appeal is creating a difficult question for governments, conservation authorities and travel businesses: how much tourism can the continent’s most fragile destinations absorb without damaging the very places travellers come to see?

The issue is not that every South American country is suffering from overtourism. That would be an inaccurate generalisation. Instead, growing visitor numbers are creating increasingly visible pressure at individual attractions, archaeological sites, national parks and island ecosystems.

The evidence is particularly clear at Machu Picchu in Peru and the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, while destinations including Torres del Paine in Chile, Tayrona in Colombia and Iguazú National Park in Argentina are also dealing with the consequences of rising visitor demand, infrastructure requirements or the need for more sophisticated visitor management.

The development comes as the regional tourism industry continues to expand. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, Travel & Tourism GDP across Central and South America is forecast to grow 4.1% in 2026, ahead of projected global growth of 3.2%. International visitor spending is expected to rise 7.8%.

That growth represents a major economic opportunity. It also makes destination management increasingly important.

Why overtourism is becoming a South American tourism issue

Overtourism is more complicated than simply counting visitors.

A destination can receive millions of tourists without necessarily experiencing overtourism if infrastructure, transport, accommodation, waste management, public services and environmental protection can cope with demand.

Conversely, a comparatively small number of visitors can create serious problems in a fragile environment with limited capacity.

This distinction matters particularly in South America, where some of the continent’s biggest tourism attractions are archaeological sites, protected ecosystems, remote islands and mountain landscapes.

The challenge is therefore shifting from simply attracting more tourists to managing where, when and how those tourists travel.

That change is already visible in tourism policy across the region.

Galápagos Faces Growing Overtourism Challenge as Tourism Boom Tests Sustainability

The Galápagos Islands are confronting a growing tourism-management challenge as visitor numbers continue to rise, increasing pressure on the fragile ecosystem, infrastructure and inhabited islands. However, the situation is more complex than simply describing the destination as overcrowded.

Research increasingly points to rapid growth in land-based tourism as the central pressure point, while the archipelago continues to use regulations and conservation measures to manage visitors.

Land-Based Tourism Drives Growth

Tourism arrivals to the Galápagos have increased dramatically over the past four decades. Research published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism found that visitor numbers rose by about 260% over two decades, reaching more than 330,000 visitors in 2023. Land-based tourism has been particularly responsible for recent growth, increasing from around 80,000 visitors in 2007 to almost 250,000 in 2023.

This distinction matters because the Galápagos is not simply dealing with large numbers of cruise passengers moving through protected areas. Growing numbers of visitors are staying on inhabited islands, increasing demand for accommodation, transport, water, energy, waste management and other services.

A Fragile Ecosystem Under Pressure

Around 97% of the Galápagos archipelago is protected within the Galápagos National Park, while the principal population centres occupy the remaining area. The concentration of tourism and population growth around these inhabited areas creates a complicated sustainability challenge.

The Charles Darwin Foundation has warned that the islands are at a crossroads between increasing tourism pressure and the need to protect their unique ecosystem. UNESCO also identifies tourism and demographic growth among the threats facing the World Heritage destination.

Yet tourism remains fundamental to the local economy and can generate resources that support conservation.

Managing Tourism Rather Than Stopping It

The Galápagos already has extensive tourism controls, including regulated visitor sites, itineraries, monitoring systems and environmental rules.

This makes the debate less about whether tourists should visit and more about how tourism growth can be managed responsibly.

Metropolitan Touring Product Manager Klaus Fielsch, speaking at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show 2026, highlighted small-ship tourism, licensed naturalists, dynamic anchoring, wildlife safeguards and waste-management practices as examples of measures intended to reduce tourism’s environmental impact.

The wider research supports a cautious conclusion: Galápagos is facing increasing tourism pressure, but it is not accurate to portray the entire archipelago as simply “overrun”. Its long-term challenge will be balancing tourism’s economic and conservation benefits with the ecological and social limits of an exceptionally fragile destination.

Metropolitan Touring Highlights How Sustainable Tourism Supports Galápagos Conservation at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show 2026

At the 2026 Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show, Klaus Fielsch, Product Manager at Metropolitan Touring, discussed the enduring appeal of the Galápagos Islands among British travellers and addressed concerns surrounding distance, cost, accessibility and overtourism.

Fielsch said the Galápagos has long held a place on the British travel radar, particularly because of its connection with Charles Darwin, who visited the islands in 1835.

He described the destination as a bucket-list experience but noted that some potential visitors may hesitate because they perceive the Galápagos as too remote, complicated or expensive, while others may worry about the impact of tourism on the fragile ecosystem.

According to Fielsch, the event provided an opportunity to explain more clearly how tourism operates in the Galápagos and how it has contributed to conservation and research.

Tourism and conservation in the Galápagos

Fielsch explained that the compatibility of tourism with national-park protection was examined when the Galápagos became a national park. He said the model developed around small-ship operations, where visitors stay aboard vessels rather than in accommodation built across individual islands, was considered capable of supporting sustainable tourism.

Under this model, the ship functions as the visitor’s accommodation while travellers make controlled visits to different islands.

Fielsch emphasised the role of licensed naturalists during excursions. He compared them to honorary park wardens, highlighting their responsibility for helping visitors follow the rules designed to protect the islands and wildlife.

Visitors are expected to follow a range of restrictions, including not bringing food ashore, avoiding flash photography, not disturbing animals, avoiding single-use plastic and not smoking on the islands.

The approach is intended to keep visitor activity controlled while allowing travellers to experience the natural environment.

Small ships and lower-impact operations

Fielsch also outlined several operational measures that Metropolitan Touring uses in the Galápagos.

Among them are protective baskets around ship propellers when Zodiacs are used for shore excursions, which he said are designed to reduce the risk of harming wildlife.

He also highlighted the use of dynamic anchoring systems on the company’s ships. Rather than relying on anchors that could potentially damage the seabed, these systems allow vessels to remain positioned without physically grabbing the ocean floor.

Food handling and waste management were also identified as important parts of the operation. Fielsch said waste generated during trips is collected and transported back to the mainland.

These measures form part of a broader effort to reduce the environmental footprint of tourism in one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive destinations.

Supporting local communities

Fielsch stressed that sustainable tourism cannot focus solely on environmental protection.

He argued that tourism in the Galápagos must also contribute to improving the lives of people living in the areas where tourism operates. He pointed to Metropolitan Touring’s presence in the destination since 1969 as part of its long-term involvement in the islands.

For the company, sustainability therefore extends beyond wildlife protection to include local communities and the economic benefits associated with tourism.

Addressing concerns about overtourism

During his panel appearance at the event, Fielsch also addressed the increasingly common discussion around overtourism in the Galápagos.

He said the subject had generated visible interest among the audience when he raised it during the session. His comments were aimed at challenging assumptions about the scale and nature of tourism pressure in the destination, with statistics forming part of his presentation.

The transcript available from the interview ends while Fielsch is beginning to refer to statistics presented to the audience, so the specific figures and conclusions from that portion cannot be reliably stated here.

That distinction is important: his remarks do not establish that overtourism is absent from the Galápagos, nor do they provide sufficient evidence in the available interview transcript to quantify the issue.

A destination still on the British traveller’s radar

The central message from Fielsch was that the Galápagos remains a highly desirable destination for British travellers, while perceptions about accessibility, cost and tourism pressure can sometimes discourage potential visitors.

Metropolitan Touring’s presentation at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show 2026 focused on explaining how regulated visitor experiences, small-ship operations, licensed naturalists, waste management, wildlife safeguards and support for local communities can form part of a more sustainable tourism model.

The Galápagos’ appeal ultimately depends on maintaining the balance between allowing visitors to experience its extraordinary wildlife and protecting the ecosystems that make the islands unique. Fielsch’s comments placed that balance at the centre of Metropolitan Touring’s approach to tourism in the destination.

Machu Picchu provides the clearest warning

Peru’s Machu Picchu is perhaps the strongest current example of the tension between global tourism demand and heritage conservation.

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre has again expressed concern that daily visitor admissions at the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu continue to exceed levels approved under an earlier carrying-capacity study. UNESCO has called for stronger visitor dispersal, infrastructure adaptation, independent monitoring and adequate staffing.

This is significant because Machu Picchu is not simply a popular tourist attraction. It is a World Heritage property whose archaeological and environmental value must be protected for future generations.

Peru has nevertheless introduced a structured visitor-management system.

A 2026 report submitted to UNESCO states that the sustainable-use and tourist-visitation regulations provide for up to 4,500 visitors per day during the regular season, with a temporary maximum of 5,600 visitors during specified high-season periods. Alternative routes are also intended to diversify visitor experiences and reduce pressure on the most sensitive areas.

The Peruvian Ministry of Culture has separately established a 5,600-person daily maximum for specified dates in 2026, while the standard limit remains 4,500 on other days.

Yet visitor limits alone do not solve the entire problem.

Transport, ticketing, queues, infrastructure and the movement of travellers through the wider Machu Picchu area all influence whether a destination feels overcrowded and whether its heritage can be adequately protected.

Recent reporting has highlighted complaints about overcrowding, queues and transport difficulties around the famous site.

For Peru, the challenge is therefore becoming one of managing a globally famous destination without allowing its popularity to undermine its cultural value.

Galápagos faces a different overtourism dilemma

The Galápagos Islands illustrate another side of the problem.

Unlike Machu Picchu, where the central concern is a highly concentrated archaeological attraction, Galápagos is a vast but exceptionally sensitive island ecosystem.

The islands have long operated under conservation-oriented tourism rules. However, visitor growth, particularly the expansion of land-based tourism, is increasing pressure on infrastructure, communities and natural resources.

The Charles Darwin Foundation says the Galápagos is at a crossroads between increasing tourism pressure and the fundamental need to protect its unique ecosystem. Its tourism-management research examines tools that could help policymakers, tourism businesses, communities and authorities manage future growth.

The Galápagos Conservation Trust reports that visitor numbers have more than doubled over the past two decades. It says tourism provides around 80% of the local economy and generated a record 329,000 visitors in 2023, illustrating the complicated relationship between tourism and conservation.

This creates a fundamental paradox.

Tourism generates employment, supports local businesses and contributes to conservation. But excessive or poorly managed growth can place additional demands on water, energy, waste systems, transport and wildlife habitats.

A 2026 academic study published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism describes the Galápagos as an example of the overtourism challenge faced by fragile island destinations, pointing to rapid growth in visitor arrivals and mounting pressure on infrastructure and resources.

The lesson is not that tourism should stop.

It is that tourism has to be managed according to the ecological and social limits of the destination.

Metropolitan Touring argues for controlled tourism

This issue is particularly relevant to comments made by Klaus Fielsch, Product Manager of Metropolitan Touring, during an interview at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show 2026.

Fielsch argued that Galápagos should not automatically be perceived by British travellers as an inaccessible, excessively difficult or inherently over-touristed destination.

He explained that Metropolitan Touring’s model is based around small-ship operations, with travellers staying aboard vessels rather than developing conventional hotels across individual islands.

He also highlighted the role of licensed naturalists, who accompany visitors during excursions and help ensure that travellers follow park rules.

According to Fielsch, those rules include restrictions on bringing food to islands, using flash photography, disturbing wildlife, using single-use plastic and smoking on islands.

He further described measures including protective equipment around Zodiac propellers, dynamic anchoring systems designed to avoid physically anchoring onto the seabed, and systems for handling food and transporting waste back to the mainland.

His argument is important to the broader South American tourism debate because it demonstrates the difference between tourism growth and unmanaged tourism growth.

A destination does not necessarily become unsustainable simply because visitor numbers increase. The quality of visitor management, infrastructure, regulation and conservation investment can determine the outcome.

Chile is preparing for higher visitor pressure

Chile provides another useful example.

The country recorded 6,004,567 international tourist arrivals in 2025, its strongest result since 2017 and a 14.6% increase from 2024, according to Chile’s Subsecretaría de Turismo and SERNATUR.

That national growth is positive for the tourism economy, but it also puts greater emphasis on managing high-demand natural attractions.

At Torres del Paine National Park, authorities have been reviewing visitor-flow and ticketing arrangements.

Chile’s CONAF reported that Torres del Paine received 367,426 visitors in 2024, including 201,731 international visitors. Authorities have been working on a revised ticketing model intended to regulate visitor flows and protect the park ecosystem.

More recently, Chilean tourism authorities inspected infrastructure and trails ahead of the 2026–27 season and specifically discussed visitor flows and service capacity in the Magallanes region.

Again, this is not proof that Torres del Paine is uniformly experiencing overtourism. It is evidence that visitor pressure and capacity management have become important planning issues as demand grows.

Colombia is focusing on capacity and sustainable tourism

Colombia’s Tayrona National Natural Park presents another example of how protected areas have to balance tourism with conservation, safety and infrastructure.

In February 2026, Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism convened an inter-institutional process following the temporary closure of Tayrona. The government said planned tourism infrastructure projects would need to strengthen sustainability, safety and carrying capacity.

The park subsequently reopened in March under a strategy designed to support an orderly revival of ecotourism while addressing affected areas and visitor safety.

By July 2026, Colombia’s National Natural Parks authority reported that all sectors of Tayrona were operating for visitors, while continuing to advise travellers to plan accommodation and check official entry conditions in advance.

The development demonstrates why destination management cannot be reduced to visitor numbers alone. Safety, infrastructure, environmental conditions and local communities all influence how much tourism a protected area can accommodate.

Iguazú shows both the opportunity and the pressure

Argentina’s Iguazú National Park offers another perspective.

The park received 1,532,230 visitors in 2025, a 20% increase year on year and its strongest result since 2019, according to tourism operator Iguazú Argentina.

Argentina’s national parks authority also reported more than 911,000 visitors between January and July 2025, representing growth of more than 20% compared with the same period in 2024.

By July 2026, the park had again recorded heavy demand, with more than 143,000 visitors during the final week of the month. Authorities simultaneously worked on preventive measures to protect infrastructure around the waterfalls during periods of increased environmental risk.

These figures should not automatically be labelled overtourism. The park has been investing in trails, visitor facilities and services.

But the numbers illustrate a broader point: record tourism growth creates a continuing need to expand and protect infrastructure at the same time.

South America’s tourism growth makes the issue more urgent

The regional outlook suggests that visitor pressure is unlikely to disappear.

WTTC expects Travel & Tourism GDP across Central and South America to increase by 4.1% in 2026, while international visitor spending is forecast to grow 7.8%. Ecuador’s Travel & Tourism GDP is projected to rise 11.6%, Bolivia’s 10.3%, Colombia’s 5.7% and Argentina’s 4.9%.

Those figures represent jobs, investment, foreign exchange and opportunities for communities.

They also mean that governments will increasingly need to answer difficult questions about carrying capacity.

How many visitors can an archaeological site safely accommodate each day?

How much traffic can a national park’s roads and trails handle?

Can an island’s water and waste systems support continued population and tourism growth?

How can tourism revenue reach local communities without creating excessive pressure on housing and essential services?

And, perhaps most importantly, how can destinations prevent tourism success from destroying the natural and cultural assets that created demand in the first place?

The future is likely to be managed tourism, not fewer tourists everywhere

The South American tourism story is therefore more nuanced than a simple warning about overtourism.

Machu Picchu demonstrates the consequences of visitor levels exceeding established carrying-capacity benchmarks. Galápagos shows how tourism growth can put pressure on a fragile island ecosystem even when tourism is also essential to the local economy and conservation. Torres del Paine, Tayrona and Iguazú demonstrate different approaches to visitor-flow management, infrastructure planning and environmental protection.

The emerging lesson for the travel industry is clear: growth alone can no longer be the only measure of tourism success.

For destinations, the next stage will be about spreading visitors geographically, managing peak periods, strengthening infrastructure, improving monitoring, enforcing environmental rules and ensuring local communities benefit from tourism.

For travellers, that may mean booking ahead, travelling outside peak periods, following protected-area rules, choosing responsible operators and considering less crowded alternatives.

South America does not need to close its doors to tourism. Its challenge is more sophisticated.

The region needs to ensure that the continued rise in international travel strengthens destinations rather than overwhelming them.

And as Machu Picchu, Galápagos, Torres del Paine, Tayrona and Iguazú demonstrate, the debate is no longer simply about how many people want to visit South America. It is increasingly about how those visitors can be managed responsibly once they arrive.

The cause is clear: stronger global demand is sending more travellers towards iconic natural and cultural attractions, while local infrastructure and ecosystems cannot always expand at the same pace. The answer is not simply to stop tourism. Instead, Ecuador, Peru and other nations need stronger visitor limits, better monitoring, dispersal strategies, infrastructure investment and community participation. Galápagos already uses permits, quotas and visitor-management systems, while researchers are calling for further innovation as land-based tourism grows. The reason is equally important: tourism supports jobs and conservation, but unmanaged growth can damage the destinations that make tourism economically valuable.

Galápagos and more destinations across Ecuador, Peru and other nations are entering a decisive period for overtourism management. The challenge is not simply the number of tourists. It is whether destinations can control visitor flows while protecting ecosystems, heritage, communities and essential infrastructure. Galápagos demonstrates the complexity particularly well: tourism provides economic value, yet rapid growth is intensifying pressure on resources and inhabited areas. Machu Picchu offers another warning, with UNESCO demanding stronger evidence that visitor levels remain compatible with conservation. Ultimately, smarter management, not unchecked expansion, will determine tourism’s future.