The Municipal Council of Quito has implemented (as of April 1) a new hotel tax for all registered hotels in the city. The tax will be as follows:

3 star hotels = $1 US per night per room
4 & 5 star hotels = $2 US per night per room

Some hotels will be collecting the tax directly from their guests and some hotels will be passing that responsibility on to the booking agents.

As a result of Presidential decree No 921 issued by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa on Feb 20, 2008, many of the ships and yachts in Galapagos will be implementing a “fuel surcharge” to the 2008 rates to cover the increase in the cost of diesel fuel.  The increase in the cost of fuel only affects those vessels that consume more than 4000 gallons of fuel per month.  The decree eliminates a previous government subsidy on fuel in the Galapagos Islands.

We have been informed by the Ministry of Tourism that the President of Ecuador has authorized an increase in fuel prices for the Galapagos Islands. The prices of fuel in Ecuador have been subsidized by the Government for years and this is one of the first steps the Government is taking towards creating a healthier economy for the country.

We understand the measure will be effective in the next months, although the exact date has not yet been made official. When the price raise becomes effective all Galapagos ships and yachts may have to add a fuel surcharge to existing and future bookings to cover for this increase in costs.

An international certificate of vaccination for yellow fever is now required to enter the Ecuadorian provinces of Sucumbios and Orellana where many of our Amazon rainforest programs take place. Although no cases of yellow fever have been reported in Ecuador in the last 20 years, the Ministry of Health has issued a yellow fever vaccination to all travellers visiting Orellana and Sucumbios Provinces, starting March 1st, in order to avoid any possible contamination to a yellow fever outbreak in some areas of the Brazilian Amazon jungle. All travelers entering the mentioned provinces will be required to present their vaccination certificate.

The San Cristobal Airport in the Galapagos Islands is now “officially” scheduled to re-open on Feb 7. All flights that have been diverted to the Baltra Airport will resume their original schedule and all yachts using the San Cristobal Airport will revert to their regular itinerary as of Feb 7.