Ecuador is back on the world tourism map thanks to one of its most iconic brands. In the 2026 edition of Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the global travel industry, Metropolitan Touring was named number one in the tour operators category, Best Tour Operator with a reader score of 99.64 out of 100, the highest in the entire category. For context, Seattle-based TCS World Travel scored just .05 points ahead of Metropolitan Touring with a total score of 99,69 in the category. That’s the very definition of ”neck and neck”!
This achievement confirms something travelers and expedition-travel specialists: have known for years: when it comes to exploring Ecuador, Galápagos, and Peru with the highest standards of service, Metropolitan Touring is the hands-down best option.
What Are Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards?
The renowned monthly travel magazine and website based in New York City, invites its more than 4.8 million readers to take part in an annual survey where they vote for their favorite travel experiences across various categories, including destinations, hotels, airlines, cruises, and, of course, tour operators. The 2026 edition, for instance, yielded over 661,000 votes. Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards reflect the results of this survey and are considered a true industry gauge of what travelers genuinely value.
There are six general categories in total: Hotels & Resorts; Citie; Islands & National Parks; Cruises; Safari & Tour Operators; and Trains, Planes & More. Within the “Safari & Tour Operators” category, readers rate each company on six key criteria:
- Staff and guides
- Itineraries and destinations
- Activities
- Accommodations
- Food
- Value for money
It is precisely in this category, evaluated through the rigor of thousands of real traveler opinions, that Metropolitan Touring very nearly topped the industry.
A Top-two Finish: Recognition of Service and Experience
With a reader score of 99.64, Metropolitan Touring came within a point of winning the entire category. And, in doing so, it earned one of the highest ratings ever recorded for a tour operator in the World’s Best Awards. This result reflects a consistent theme in guest feedback: attention to detail, deep knowledge of the territory, and service that exceeds expectations at every stage of the trip.
A score like this isn’t achieved by chance. It’s the result of long-term strategic decisions: operating its own fleet, employing certified naturalist guides, and offering hotel infrastructure specifically designed to complement the expedition experience.
Who is Metropolitan Touring?
Metropolitan Touring is a leading destination management company (DMC) headquartered in Ecuador with operations that extend to Galapagos and Peru. With more than 70 years of history, it has been a pioneer in sustainable and regenerative expedition travel across South America, building a reputation that translates into formidable international recognition, like this one, bestowed via Travel + Leisure´s World’s Best Awards.
Unlike many operators that rely on third parties to run their itineraries, Metropolitan Touring owns and directly operates most of its offerings, allowing it to maintain full control over service quality.
Metropolitan Touring’s Galápagos Expedition Fleet
The company operates three of its own vessels in the archipelago, each designed for a different type of traveler:
- Santa Cruz II: a 90-passenger expedition ship, ideal for families and mid-sized groups. It features outside cabins with ocean views, an auditorium for naturalist talks, a spa area, a gym, and a deck pool. Its 4-, 5-, and 8-day itineraries cover both the northern and southern islands of the archipelago.
- Isabela II: a boutique yacht for up to 40 passengers, offering a more intimate, personalized atmosphere. It combines elegant cabins, an onboard library, and a high crew-to-passenger ratio, designed for travelers seeking exclusivity without sacrificing the expedition experience.
- La Pinta: another luxury yacht for 48 passengers, with spacious suite-style cabins, a terrace with a jacuzzi, and a carefully curated culinary offering, perfect for travelers looking for premium comfort while sailing.
In all three cases, the naturalist guides that accompany every sail are certified by the Galápagos National Park and lead hikes, snorkeling, kayaking, and panga (aka dinghy, or Zodiac) excursions to observe unique species up close, such as marine iguanas, sea lions, Galápagos penguins, and a wide variety of native and endemic birds.
Hotels and Lodges on the Mainland
Beyond the sea, Metropolitan Touring owns landmark properties that extend the experience into other ecosystems across the country:
- Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel (Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos): the only eco-luxury beachfront hotel on the island, with direct panga access to Puerto Ayora. It offers daily guided excursions, a restaurant focused on local ingredients, and a sustainable, regenerative tourism philosophy, ideal for travelers who want to combine nights on land with daily outings to visitor sites.
- Casa Gangotena (Quito): a restored republican-era mansion and member of Relais & Châteaux, located in the heart of Quito’s Historic Center, facing Plaza de San Francisco. It combines heritage architecture, signature cuisine, and privileged views of the Andes peaks surrounding the city.
- Mashpi Lodge: a luxury lodge within a private cloud-forest reserve, just a few hours from Quito. It offers immersive experiences such as nature walks, an aerial gondola called the Dragonfly that glides over the forest canopy, an observation tower, Sky Bikes, a hummingbird garden, guided night walks, and its own biological research lab — ideal for travelers interested rainforest excursions, biodiversity, and scientific ecotourism.
Land-based Experiences and Itineraries
Metropolitan Touring isn’t limited to the Galápagos: it designs integrated itineraries that connect different destinations and ecosystems in a single trip. Among its most sought-after experiences are:
- Tours through the Ecuadorian highlands, including the Tren Ecuador cruise train and routes along the Avenue of the Volcanoes
- Extensions to Peru, with visits to the Sacred Valley, Cusco, and Machu Picchu
- Tailor-made itineraries that combine the Galápagos and mainland Ecuador with Peru in a single trip, with logistics, transportation, and guides coordinated end to end
This ability to directly operate ships, hotels, transportation, tours and guides — relying only occasionally on strongly vetted third parties — is what allows Metropolitan Touring to maintain consistent control over service quality at every stage of the trip, something directly reflected in the 99.64 score it earned in the 2026 World’s Best Awards.
Why Does this Award Matter to Travelers?
For anyone planning a trip to South America, this recognition is more than a headline — it’s a sign of trust grounded in the real experiences of thousands of travelers. Unlike rankings compiled by editors or experts, the World’s Best Awards are based on responses by people who have actually lived the experience.
A score of 99.64 across the categories of staff, itineraries, activities, accommodations, food, and value means there’s really no dissatisfaction: travelers who booked with Metropolitan Touring over the past year were, overwhelmingly and thoroughly satisfied.
This achievement also reinforces the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainable and regenerative tourism, an increasingly decisive factor for travelers seeking operators that are responsible toward the environment and local communities.
Metropolitan Touring: The World’s Best Choice for South America
Metropolitan Touring’s finish among the top two Best Tour Operators according to Travel + Leisure’s 2026 World’s Best Awards is further confirmation that Ecuador is home to one of the world’s most solid and highly rated tour operators. With 70 years of experience, its own fleet in the Galápagos, boutique hotels in iconic destinations, and a near-perfect reader score, Metropolitan Touring stands out as the go-to choice for those looking to explore Ecuador, Galapagos and Peru with the highest standards of quality.
If you’re planning your next trip to the Galápagos or South America, this recognition is yet another reason to consider Metropolitan Touring as your trusted operator.
