Experience, Explore, Impact Awards 2025, Press, South America

Recognised at the Highest Level: Ecuador’s President Honours Regenerative Conservation in the Galápagos

Words Sarah Vockins

Date12 January 2026

At Regenerative Travel, our mission has always been to spotlight the people, places, and policies shaping a more regenerative future for travel. This year, that mission was powerfully affirmed.

We are proud to share that our Regenerative Conservation of the Year 2025 award, presented to the Galápagos National Park Directorate (DPNG), has been formally recognised by the Government of Ecuador, as part of the environmental policies of President Daniel Noboa.

The acknowledgment by Ecuador’s national government confirms the global relevance of regenerative conservation and underscores the leadership being demonstrated in the Galápagos Islands, one of the most ecologically significant places on Earth and a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

Read their publication here.

A National Recognition of a Regenerative Standard

The Government of Ecuador has publicly recognised the Galápagos National Park Directorate as the recipient of Regenerative Travel’s Regenerative Conservation of the Year 2025, highlighting the long-term environmental and social impact of the initiatives honoured by this award.

In its official communication, the government emphasised that this recognition reflects national leadership in conservation, reinforcing Ecuador’s commitment, under President Noboa, to protecting one of the planet’s most valuable natural heritages through innovative governance and responsible tourism management.

Why This Recognition Matters

Our award was created to honour destinations and institutions that move beyond sustainability toward regeneration, where tourism actively strengthens ecosystems, supports communities, and aligns with long-term conservation goals.

In recognising this award, the Ecuadorian government specifically highlighted how the Galápagos National Park Directorate has integrated the learnings of its conservation processes into a tourism action plan aligned with Ecuador’s commitments to UNESCO, guiding tourism management toward structural and enduring solutions.

Among the initiatives cited by the international jury, and acknowledged by the government, is the development of the Visitor Code of Conduct, created collaboratively with local stakeholders. This Code promotes shared responsibility, care, and harmonious coexistence between people and nature, ensuring tourism contributes positively to the Galápagos territory.

Leadership Reflected in Public Policy

Commenting on the recognition, Inés Manzano, Ecuador’s Minister of Environment and Energy, stated:

“This recognition demonstrates that Ecuador, as a country, is a leader in conservation processes. We demonstrate through actions a new form of sustainability, where tourism is managed with responsibility, a vision for the future, and commitment to our communities. Galápagos is an example of how public action can protect natural heritage while also generating wellbeing for its people.”

Her statement reinforces that the acknowledgment of this award is embedded within Ecuador’s national environmental agenda and reflects coordinated public action at the highest level of government.

Collaboration at the Core of Regeneration

The government further noted that this achievement is the result of coordinated efforts between the Galápagos Governing Council, the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Investments, local governments, and strategic partners including Galapagos Conservation Trust, the Charles Darwin Foundation, the University of Cambridge, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Galápagos HUB, and civil society.

These partnerships exemplify the collaborative spirit that regenerative conservation requires, and that our awards seek to recognise.

Credit: BBC Wildlife - Leighton Lum Nazca

A Shared Commitment to the Future

At Regenerative Travel, we are deeply honoured that our Regenerative Conservation of the Year award has been acknowledged at a national level by the Government of Ecuador and the Office of the President.

This recognition strengthens our belief that regenerative tourism is not a niche concept, it is an emerging global standard. When governments, communities, and conservation leaders align, regeneration becomes not only possible, but policy-driven and scalable.

The Galápagos Islands now stand as a global reference point, and we are proud that Regenerative Travel’s work has played a role in elevating that leadership on the world stage.