Opportunities in tourism industry on the rise
An unspoiled destination, Ecuador capitalizes on its biodiversity

In selecting your next vacation destination, be sure to consider unique and beautiful Ecuador — it boasts a splendid variety of tourist sites, is unspoiled by large-scale tourism, and has the highest density of biodiversity in the world — all just four hours from Miami! In Ecuador tourists can learn about the evolution of various species and the importance of the Amazon forest to the world, observe bird migratory habits, examine ancestral traditions of pre-Colombian cultures, reconstruct the Spanish colonial era in architecturally glorious cities, discover wondrous volcanoes, follow Andean routes, and, of course, feast on exquisite and fresh cuisine. Moreover, it is a very affordable destination with something for every type of tourist.

Metropolitan Touring, the largest tour operator in Ecuador, is the first company in the industry to be transformed from a family-owned company to a private consortium. It offers tours to numerous locations — to most frequently visited areas of the country as well as the most remote. “Ecuador needs promotion to develop its tourism image like Costa Rica and Mexico have done,” says Pablo Ituralde, President. “Ecuador has as much to offer as these other destinations, however, it is not as known.”

The tourist sector is the fourth largest component of the country’s GDP and is expected to be the second largest within five years. According to Mateo Estrella, Sub-Secretary of Tourism, the government has made tourism a national priority and through an executive decree outlines a plan of action the Ministry and the state will take in promoting its growth. “We are currently focusing on three major functions: One - attracting national and international investment to help us provide more competitive services; two - developing policies that not only provide incentives for investors but that also protect their investments, and three - implementing measures that guarantee the safety of tourists and the quality of service offered to them,” says Mr. Estrella. He emphasizes that in 2002 the Ministry will increase promotion of Ecuador internationally, targeting wholesalers and trade shows in the United States and Latin America. Because the United States is Ecuador’s primary market, the Ministry is in the process of hiring an American public relations firm to handle promotions. It also has plans to penetrate European and other markets.

The Ministry of Tourism’s budget is $7 million, 80%of which is designated for planning, training and promotions. In an effort to raise awareness among Ecuadorians about the importance of tourism to their economy, it has implemented a program called Ecuador Searches for Partners, which recently trained a group of police officers in tourism etiquette.

Dolores de Diez, Sales & Marketing Vice President for Quasar Nautica, which operates a five-star circuit through the Galapagos Islands in small, exclusive boats, explains that it is important for the industry to establish a classification system to rate services and accommodations. “This will guarantee that tourists will receive the service that they expect when booking their vacation, whether it be five star or three stars,” she says.

Currently, operators who offer tours primarily in environmentally protected areas such as the Galapagos and the Amazon’s forests, are creating alliances with related organizations to elevate their operations to meet international environmental standards. For instance, tour operator Canodros recently received a certification from Rainforest Alliance allowing it to acquire an ISO 14,000 for its cruises through the Galapagos. According to Andre Barona, General Manager of Canodros, “this certification helps set standards in the sector as well as enables us to better protect the environment in the Galapagos, which is very fragile.” A question frequently asked of Mr. Barona is whether large boats cause more harm to the environment than small ones, to which he answers that there is more control over large boats than small charter yachts.

According to the year 2000 estimates from the Ministry of Tourism, Ecuador has 2,252 hotels and 45,891 rooms. Jean Pierre Magnenat, President of the Hotel Association and General Manager of the Hotel Chalet Suisse, says there are an adequate number of hotels in Ecuador, including ten international chain properties; the challenge, he believes, lies in competitiveness and quality of service. Radisson, Hilton, Marriot and Sheraton, chain hotels whose names have international recognition and meet expected standards of quality, are readily found in Ecuador. Swissotel offers a pleasant mix of business necessities and tourist comforts, while local chain hotels Alameda and Oro offer quality service with an Ecuadorian touch. Mr. Magnenat points out that newly-built airports in Quito and Guayaquil are designed to better accommodate visitors to Ecuador. In 1999 Ecuador hosted about 664,000 visitors; in 2000, about 457,000. In light of the September 11th tragedy in the U.S., visits by U.S. citizens, who represent 35% of Ecuador’s tourist population, are unfortunately expected to drop by15%.

The appeal of Ecuador lies not only in its beauty and diversity, but also in the accessibility of its destinations. No matter where in the country you are, in just a few hours you can be sitting on a riverbank gazing at a cascading waterfall or hiking the grand Cotopaxi volcano. From Quito, it takes about an hour to get to Cuenca, hailed as the country’s Athens for its cultural wealth, half an hour to get to Guayaquil, the commercial city of Ecuador, less than four hours to be in the Galapagos, and about two flying hours to find yourself deep in the Amazon jungle. So come to memorable Ecuador! – you are bound to come away awed.