Roque Sevilla, Metropolitan’s President is welcomed aboard by Captain Jose Ignacio Gutierrez.

Metropolitan’s new Yacht La Pinta has arrived to the shipyard in Callao for a full refurbishment. This new addition to our fleet will start operations in March 2008, with Friday to Friday week expeditions. Itinerary of visits is to be confirmed in a few more weeks, but it will certainly include the most rewarding sites in the Galápagos Archipelago.

La Pinta will set a new standard for exploring the Galapagos in luxury, pleasure and comfort. It will carry 40 guests, accommodated in 24 ample suites.

Its maiden voyage will be March 7 to 14, 2008.   Please start offering La Pinta as an option for your most discerning travelers to the Galapagos Islands; we are ready to receive your bookings.

The Galápagos-Ecuador Foundation is a non-profit organization established by Metropolitan Touring in 1998, as the company was not only worried about the “green issues” such as preserving the ecosystems and the pristine environment of the islands, but also saw the need to take care of the “brown issues”, meaning the appropriate handling of waste and garbage in the islands.

For this it has addressed three main tasks: 1) coastal cleaning trips, 2) educational campaigns for garbage disposal and 3) garbage recycling. To the end of 2006, 558 tons of garbage have been recycled at Puerto Ayora.

Donations to the Galapagos Foundation by agencies and tour operators who send their clients to the islands are welcome. Depending on the donated amount, you can become a Platinum, Gold or Silver donor. The amount of recycled waste currently represents 40% of the total generated; our target is to recycle 70% of all refuse.

To learn more about the Foundation and how you can help, please visit www.galapagosfoundation.org.

Starting March 31 st, 2007 the Chiva Express operates with re-designed programs aiming to offer world class travelers a truly authentic, first-hand experience and contact with the local people, the hacienda life, flower plantations and a taste of the local produce lovingly prepared in meals throughout the day.

The CHIVA EXPRESS journeys --a unique and exclusive product of Metropolitan Touring-- are a great way to experience the best of mainland Ecuador, from the Andean patchwork countryside to the lush tropical coastal lowlands. The Chiva Express is a must-do trip through the unbeaten paths and ever-changing scenery of this beautiful country, designed to offer a relaxed, fun and truly authentic experience. Please visit www.chivaexpress.com for detailed itineraries.

The Hilton Colon Quito Hotel will undergo a thorough renovation during 2007 to offer refurbished and upgraded rooms for international tourism. For 2008 the Hilton Colon Quito will offer Hilton Deluxe rooms and Luxury Suites. “Hilton Guest Rooms” will no longer be available.

The renewed Hilton rooms and suites will offer a new atmosphere of decoration with the highest standards of the Hilton Chain at a world level. Maximum comfort is guaranteed with a complete change of rugs, curtains, lighting and a fine selection of duvet-type quilts. All rooms have amenities from “La Source of Crab Tree & and Evelyn”, an exclusive line used by Hilton International chain worldwide.

The Hilton Colon has a privileged location at the heart of the commercial area of Quito, right beside a beautiful park –where street painters exhibit on weekends, and a block away from Quito’s largest handcrafts market.