Lindblad Expeditions, Island Conservation Launch Galápagos Island Relief Fund

Lindblad Expeditions teams with Island Conservation, an international not-for-profit conservation organization, to launch the Galápagos Island Relief Fund to provide instant relief for the people of the islands. Tourism accounts for more than 80 percent of the Galápagos economy, and with travel halted, it caused profound hardships for the community at large.

In just the first two months of the pandemic, the islands’ economy lost $50 million and visitor numbers July–October dropped 95 percent. The economic devastation also poses a threat to the conservation of the archipelago.

Donations received with the Galápagos Island Relief Fund will allow Fundación Un Cambio Por La Vida to disseminate micro-loans to the people of the islands, providing financial relief and addressing the basic needs of vulnerable families. The money will also support hundreds of community enterprises and strengthen existing businesses, sustainable food production, emergency aid, education and more. The community can also continue to protect the area’s unique ecosystems and wildlife.

The goal is to raise $500,000, with main outreach to Lindblad guests who voyaged to the Galápagos. The cruise line will set up a matching program, with every $1 donated, up to $50,000, matched 3:1 by an equivalent dollar-for-dollar donation from Sven and Kristin Lindblad’s Wanderlust Fund, Lindblad Expeditions and Lindblad Expeditions Board of Directors. Every proceed will stay in the Galápagos.

“The people of Galápagos are struggling more than I’ve ever seen in my 53-year relationship with the Islands,” said Sven Lindblad, founder and CEO, Lindblad Expeditions. “Stimulating the local economy through community micro-loans has the power to activate a thriving system — helping entrepreneurs and small business owners develop new ideas to complement sustainable tourism, and meeting the needs of the local community long after the pandemic is over.”

If you can contribute, donate here.