The Leading Hotels of the World group was founded in 1928 and for it’s 80th birthday it’s doing something special. If you go register for their promotion, at 8 a.m. eastern on October 1 they’ll be selling off a limited number of rooms for $19.28 a night double.

You’ll still pay the taxes of course, but quite a score if you can pull it off. The sale will happen for 80 minutes and you must travel between November 1 and December 15 of this year.

Here are the hotels in Latin America that are part of the promotion, with links to our reviews where applicable.

Argentina
Alvear Palace Hotel (Buenos Aires)

Brazil
Pestana Convento do Carmo Hotel (Salvador)

Ecuador
Royal Palm Hotel Galapagos (Galapagos Islands)
Hotel Oro Verde (Guayaquil)

Venezuela
Gran Meliá Caracas Suites and Conference Center (Caracas)

Mexico
Presidente Intercontinental Cozumel Resort & Spa (Cozumel)
Marquis Los Cabos (Los Cabos)
Hotel Habita (Mexico City)
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort (Nuevo Vallarta)

I got an error message trying to register, so the buggy corporate LHW site may give you trouble. Try back later before October if you get denied.

We’re starting to read more about Quito in the travel news, which usually means either A) the local tourism office has started to get their act together and spend a significant chunk of money on PR and advertising or B) a new luxury hotel has opened up (or is about to). Call us cynical, but you seldom see much in the likes of Travel & Leisure unless these elements are in place.

They are in place in Quito, as recently noted in the Globorati blog. “No longer just a pit-stop on the way to the world’s most famous tortoises, Quito’s World Heritage historic center is reaping the benefits of a $200-million, seven-year makeover.”

If you’re one of those poor saps like me that is living in the land of the plunging dollar, there’s another reason to like Quito: the U.S. dollar is their currency, so no painful decline there.

We think you’ll be hearing more about this city in the years to come, especially since the city’s tourism bureau just hired they guy who wrote our Ecuador luxury hotel reviews.

The following appeared in the South American Explorers newsletter, with the original text from the IGTOA - International Galapagos Tour Operators Association. This follows a National Geographic stewardship survey report that there has been significant deterioration in the Galapagos, mostly due to an influx of more tourists than the area can handle. If you’re heading that way at some point soon, please do the right thing and use a tour company that does more than just pay lip service to environmental protection.

“Galapagos is in a state of emergency,” states the headline in Ecuador’s newspaper, El Comercio. It was referring to a decision made April 10 by Ecuador’s President, Rafael Correa, who signed an emergency decree stating that Galapagos is in crisis.

President Correa stated that he would consider temporarily suspending tourism permits and enforcing rigorous population restrictions to prevent further environmental harm. “We are pushing for a series of actions to overcome the huge institutional, environmental and social crisis in the islands,” President Correa said.

He did not give details about possible restrictions. But he ordered the Governor of Galapagos to convene an urgent meeting of the Institute Nacional Galapagos (INGALA). The objective will be to determine the state of conservation and development in the islands, with possible temporary suspension of new tourist and air operations.

In a press release, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) indicated “strong support for yesterday’s declaration by Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa that Galapagos is at risk and is a national conservation priority.” (see full text below)

President Correa’s pronouncement comes as a high level delegation from the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, led by its Director, Francesco Bandarin, visits Ecuador. Its aim is to study the state of Galapagos and make recommendations next June on whether to list Galapagos as a World Heritage in Danger. Talks between the UN delegation and members of the government are taking place in Quito and Galapagos. President Correa said that Ecuador does not need attention from international organizations, saying, “We are conscious of the high priority and importance of Galapagos for our country.”

These events follow in the footsteps of a recent assault on the authority and personnel of the Galapagos National Park, as reported in an IGTOA bulletin. Park Director, Raquel Molina, and several Park Rangers suffered injuries while attempting to stop a kayaking operation on Baltra Island.

There seems to be a growing consensus that tourism development needs to be contained and regulated.