New Innovative Conservation Fundraising Program Set to Launch Aboard Galapagos Cruise Vessels

PUERTO AYORA, Ecuador - Sept. 18, 2017 - PRLog -- In mid-September 2017 the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA - http://www.igtoa.org/) will launch an exciting new traveler philanthropy initiative onboard some of the finest live-aboard cruise vessels operating in the Galapagos Islands.  The vessels are the inaugural members of IGTOA's new Galapagos Conservation Partner Program, an invitation-only category of IGTOA membership exclusively for cruise operators who wish to support IGTOA's mission to protect and preserve the Galapagos Islands.

This new initiative will give passengers aboard participating vessels the opportunity to donate to IGTOA's Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund (https://www.igtoa.org/donate) (GTCF), which provides critical funding to conservation projects in the islands. The inaugural participating cruise operators are Ecoventura (Letty, Eric, Origin and Galapagos Sky), Haugan Cruises (Ocean Spray, Petrel, and Cormorant), Andean Travel Company (San Jose, Treasure of Galapagos, Archipel 1 and Archipel 2) and Latin Trails (Galapagos Sea Star Journey and Galapagos Seaman Journey).  Approximately 10,000 passengers on 14 vessels will have the opportunity to make a donation in the first year of the program.

As part of the program, which is supported by World Wildlife Fund - Ecuador, IGTOA will provide each vessel with a suite of educational materials to display onboard. The materials, which were created with the help of Dr. Sam Ham, the renowned communication psychologist who developed Lindblad-National Geographic's highly successful onboard fundraising program, consist of posters, signs, information booklets and donation brochures. IGTOA will also provide training for guides and crew members on how to implement the program and discuss it with guests.

"The goal of this new initiative is to significantly increase the amount of funding IGTOA has available to support conservation projects, to educate visitors about the challenges and threats facing the Galapagos and to give them the opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to the conservation and protection of the islands," says Matt Kareus, Executive Director of IGTOA  From 2011 to 2016, IGTOA awarded nearly $350,000 in GTCF grants to various conservation organizations working in Galapagos.  Recent GTCF grant recipients include the Charles Darwin Foundation, the Galapagos Biosecurity Agency, WildAid, Ecology Project International, Sea Shepherd Ecuador and Darwin Animal Doctors.

"IGTOA's member companies and the participating cruise operators cover the cost of administering the program, which means that 100 percent of onboard traveler donations will go directly to support conservation, rather than toward overhead or administration," added Jim Lutz, President of IGTOA.

The program is administered locally in partnership with Ecology Project International, a Missoula, MT, based non-profit, with a fully staffed office in Puerto Ayora.  Each participating vessel pays an annual membership fee, which helps to offset the cost of administering the program. Participating vessels will be profiled on IGTOA's website.

"Our plan is to expand the program to many other vessels in the future, all in an effort to raise funds for Galapagos conservation and raise traveler awareness of the threats facing the islands," said Lutz.

located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands are one of the world's most pristine oceanic archipelagos and home to hundreds of species found nowhere else on Earth. Designated as one of the world's first 12 World Heritage Sites in 1978, today the Galapagos archipelago is considered one of the world's foremost tourist destinations for natural history and wildlife. The islands' unique biodiversity, famously inspiring Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, face a variety of threats, including invasive species, illegal fishing and poaching, and the impacts of population growth and development.

About the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association (IGTOA)

IGTOA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association of travel providers dedicated to the complete and lasting protection of the Galapagos Islands. Through its Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund, IGTOA raises money to support critical Galapagos conservation initiatives and educates travelers about the challenges facing the islands. Its mission is to preserve the Galápagos Islands as a unique and priceless world heritage that will provide enjoyment, education, adventure and inspiration to present and future generations of travelers. Membership is open exclusively to commercial and nonprofit organizations. See: http://www.igtoa.org/

Media Contact:

IGTOA

Matt Kareus, Executive Director

Email: exd@igtoa.org

Web: http://www.igtoa.org/