Miami, FL - Ecoventura’s environmentally friendly fleet of small expedition vessels in the Galapagos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reports that its family business is booming, in part because Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie brought their brood here recently and also because the company has a 15-year track record of embracing children on all of its year-round departures and offers some families-only pre-set departures.
“Our surveys show that parents want to give their children authentic experiences over hedonistic escapes,” said Ecoventura spokeswoman Doris Welsh. “We help them do this by providing accommodations on 20-passenger, environmentally certified motor yachts and then adding to the mix eco-sensitive programs led by top naturalist guides.” (NOTE: please see quotes from family travelers at the end of this release.)
Welsh said that in particular its family departures for teenagers, which began in 2003, have withstood the recession.
“It seems families with teenagers realized they do not have the option to put off traveling with their teens for a year or more until the economy recovers, because then the kids will be either in college or stuck in a job, essentially off on their own,” she said.
It also helps that at least one of its yachts (Eric, Flamingo or Letty) is designated exclusively for families on every school break. After 15 years the family business accounts for close to 30 percent of the company’s overall bookings. On family teen departures guides (one guide per 10 passengers) offer longer, more challenging guided walks on the trails and take advantage of every opportunity to snorkel from the beach and also in deeper water.
“We are the only boat owner/operator in Galapagos to offer designated departure dates exclusively for families traveling with teens and to give a discount of 15 percent for children age 12 to 17. Several companies in Galapagos do offer family departures; however these are often geared more toward younger children and they offer limited departure dates of three to four weeks the entire year and offer discounts to children only up to age 11,” Welsh noted.
From now through winter 2012, Welsh reports that family teen departures are still available. Seven-night/eight-day cruise rates start at $3,550 per person double occupancy with 15 percent discount for children age 12-17 and a 25 percent discount for ages 5 to 11.
Visit Ecoventura's Family Departures for more information.