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.
This achievement confirms something travelers and expedition-travel specialists already knew: when it comes to exploring Ecuador, the Galápagos, and Peru with the highest standards of service, Metropolitan Touring leads the way.
What are Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards?
The World’s Best Awards are among the most influential travel surveys. Every year, Travel + Leisure invites hundreds of thousands of readers to rate their travel experiences across categories ranging from cities and hotels to airlines, cruises, and tour operators. The 2026 edition brought together more than 207,000 readers from around the globe, cementing its place as a true gauge of what travelers value today.
Within the “Tour Operators and Safari Outfitters” 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 took first place.
First place: a Recognition of Service and Experience
With a reader score of 99.64, Metropolitan Touring didn’t just win its category — 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 the leading destination management company (DMC) in Ecuador and operates in Peru as well. With more than 70 years of history, it has been a pioneer in sustainable expedition travel across South America, building a reputation that now translates into this international recognition.
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.
It’s the 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, aimed at travelers looking for premium comfort while sailing.
In all three cases, naturalist guides are certified by the Galápagos National Park and lead hikes, snorkeling, kayaking, and panga (inflatable boat) excursions to observe unique species up close, such as marine iguanas, sea lions, Galápagos penguins, and a wide variety of 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 Eco 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 low-environmental-impact 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 volcanoes 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 canopy walks, an aerial tram over the forest (“Dragonfly”), bird and hummingbird watching, and its own biological research lab — ideal for travelers interested in 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, and guides — without relying on 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 built on the ratings of 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 almost no room for complaints: travelers who booked with Metropolitan Touring over the past year were, overwhelmingly, thoroughly satisfied.
This achievement also reinforces the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainable 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 first-place finish in 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 in this company. 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 and Peru with the highest standards of quality.
If you’re planning your next trip to the Galápagos or South America, this recognition is one more reason to consider Metropolitan Touring as your trusted operator.
