Happy Gringo Travel Completes Quito Tree-Planting Project With QR-Based Monitoring
Oct 8, 2026
The Galapagos tour operator planted native trees at Parque Metropolitano in late September 2026, using QR tags linked to an app for ongoing monitoring
Quito, Ecuador, October 8, 2026 -- Happy Gringo Travel, an Ecuador & Galapagos tour operator, completed a tree-planting project at Parque Metropolitano in Quito in late September 2026. Working with a local foundation, the project planted native tree species and tagged trees with QR codes linked to an app, allowing their growth, surrounding environment and survival to be monitored over time.
Lessons learned from QR tagging at Parque Metropolitano can be applied to future reforestation initiatives in Ecuador. Details of the company's broader environmental commitments are outlined in its Responsible Travel Promise.
The project builds on Happy Gringo Travel's B Corp certification, awarded by B Lab in July 2026, which recorded an overall B Impact Score of 89.1 in B Lab's public company directory. The B Corporation designation requires companies to measure their performance across governance, workers, community and environmental impact rather than financial returns alone.
Eva Merkx, General Manager of Happy Gringo Travel, said: “Travel is no longer just about where we go, what we see, or the experiences we collect. It’s about understanding the impact we leave behind. And for us at Happy Gringo, that raised a bigger question: What would it really mean to become a better tourism company? It means looking at your company from the inside out. Questioning the very way you work. Questioning what you could be doing better.”
John Potts, President of Happy Gringo Travel, said: “What surprised me most was how much this journey touched every part of the company. It wasn’t just about sustainability. It made us rethink how we communicate, make decisions, work together, and continue improving. But it also made us think about our travellers. How can we help them better understand the impact of their journey? How can travelling, exploring, and learning about Galapagos & Ecuador also become an opportunity to travel more consciously?”
As an Ecuadorian-registered entity, Happy Gringo Travel maintains local tax compliance, provides 15 percent mandatory profit-sharing to its staff and enrolls its workforce in Ecuador's national social security system. The company operates guided land tours and small-ship cruises across mainland Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, including itineraries listed on its Galapagos Tours page. Information about its full range of services is available through Happy Gringo Travel.
Eva Merkx added: “We strengthened the way we manage our environmental impact, improved our recycling processes, started measuring our carbon footprint, and built stronger governance systems and procedures to help us become a more transparent, accountable and resilient company. We also created new projects that allow us to give back to the places and communities that make our journeys possible. And somewhere along the way, we understood something. We weren’t simply seeking a certification. We were working towards becoming a better version of Happy Gringo. And I think that’s what we’re most proud of. Becoming a Certified B Corporation was about much more than certification. We changed the way we think about our business, our people, and our impact.”
About Happy Gringo Travel
Happy Gringo is an Anglo-Dutch owned travel company run by passionate travelers for like-minded clients.
The company has 20 years of experience, during which time it has established itself as a travel agency/tour operator in Ecuador.
Above all, it prides itself on a personalized approach to service, and a team of local travel experts, who know the country like the back of their hands.
Contact Info:
Name: John Potts
Email: Send Email
Organization: Happy Gringo Travel
Website: https://happygringo.com
Release ID: 89205471
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