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Easter Island Eco-Travel Problems
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Easter Island Chile - Last month, protesters resorted to blocking the airport, moving tents and trucks on to the runway and demanding that the 65,000 visitors who fly in each year, some of whom choose to stay on and work, be capped. As about 600 angry US tourists expressed their irritation after they faced the resultant flight cancellations at the airport in the Chilean capital, Santiago, the government agreed to discuss the islanders' concerns about overcrowding, the environment and controls on commerce.
"The only thing we are looking for is an answer from the government regarding the need for greater control on who comes to Easter Island," said the island's mayor, Luz Zasso. "We ask, for example, that those who arrive have a card which describes the activity they will be doing here, just like in the Galápagos Islands."
With a population of 4,900 that has grown by 29% since 2002, the island is forced to deal with more than it can handle. A similar problem led to the Pitcairn Islands, also in the Pacific, establishing immigration controls, with categories for "short-period" tourists with a maximum stay of 14 days and "long-period" tourists with a maximum stay of six months.
Ahorre September 10, 2009 10:16 AM | Huatulco Travel