Travel Industry Reaches Record Highs in Ecuador
Ecuador is experiencing record-breaking tourism growth, according to suppliers and tourism officials gathered at Meet Ecuador, a traveling trade show that recently visited several cities in the U.S. and Canada.
"Our growth between 2005 and 2006 was 21 percent to 22 percent, and for 2007 we expect another 20 percent," said Mariano Proano, general manager of Travel Opportunities South America. "All the flights are full. "The U.S. is the fastest-growing [market] for Ecuador," he added. "We're not doing as much as Peru, but we're growing."
Monica Irauzqui of Kontiki Tours & Travel cited a 20 percent growth in bookings to Ecuador within the past year. "Especially with the Galapagos," she said, "because there are so many more cruises."
Dominic Hamilton, international media relations officer for the Quito Metropolitan Tourism Corp., reported an estimated 7 percent increase in visitor arrivals to Ecuador's capital city so far this year. He said the primary origin markets are the U.S., Spain, the U.K. and Germany.
Mr. Hamilton said one of the trends driving tourism to the capital is continuing improvement in the city center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dotted with landmark churches, government buildings and private residences.
With hotels opening in historical buildings as well as more outdoor cafes and a theater that opened last year, interest is increasing.
Quito is making plans to open a new international airport by 2011. The $600 million project, located outside the city limits, will be much larger than the existing Mariscal Sucre Airport and won't have the constraints presented by Sucre's high altitude, allowing for nonstop flights from more far-flung destinations, aboard larger aircraft.
August 27, 2007
Posted in: Ecuador