Balancing post-pandemic recovery and resilience in the Galápagos: how beliefs in ecosystem fragility impact residents’ attitudes toward tourism and conservation knowledge and compliance

The Galápagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, face significant challenges in balancing tourism-driven economic growth with the conservation of their vulnerable ecosystems. This intrinsic tension was highlighted by the global disruption occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. The archipelago experienced a critical decline in visitor numbers, followed by an abrupt recovery of number of travelers in subsequent years. This post-pandemic period has underscored the challenging balance that residents, business owners, local government and Galápagos National Park authorities must maintain in the islands and brought a renewed focus to sustainable tourism practices. This study examines how residents’ and small business owners’ fragile ecosystem belief (FEB) influences their attitudes toward economically sustainable tourism (ESTA) and conservation knowledge and compliance (CKC). Using survey data from 296 respondents, the findings reveal that residents prioritize resource conservation over economic development, recognizing that the long-term viability of tourism depends on the health of the ecosystem. A positive ESTA is significantly correlated with higher CKC, indicating that support for sustainable tourism fosters compliance with conservation laws. However, the strength of this relationship is moderated by FEB: individuals with low FEB exhibit a stronger link between ESTA and CKC, while those with high FEB, though more compliant overall, show a weaker relationship. These findings highlight the necessity for targeted interventions, including awareness campaigns for low-FEB groups and recognition programs for high-FEB individuals, to enhance conservation efforts. The post-pandemic recovery presents a unique opportunity to implement these tactics, ensuring that tourism develops in a manner aligned with sustainability principles. The study underscores the importance of aligning tourism development with ecological integrity. It offers practical recommendations for policymakers, small business owners, and conservation advocates to promote sustainable practices in the Galápagos.