All the focuses of the largest international tourism trade fair, Fitur, point in one direction: Ecuador, the protagonist of this edition. However, fear also lurks in the large cabin where postcards, sounds and aromas of the Andean country coexist. The image of young criminals taking over a television station during the live broadcast went around the world a few weeks ago. Although exhibitors claim that this order does not at all reflect the current state of affairs, selling the Ecuador brand is a challenge that tour operators will have to overcome during the five days of the fair.
“We currently have a lot of visitors traveling through Ecuador,” defends Dante García, who opened a travel agency in the banana country 12 years ago. “In addition, the conflict is focused on very specific points.” In 2023, 1.14 million visitors arrived on Ecuadorian soil, half of those who disembarked before giving birth. The data is not consistent with the good pace of global tourism in 2023, when it reached 88% of pre-pandemic activity. It is estimated that one in eleven people in the world does this activity, and the number is rising. In Ecuador, almost 600,000 families are employed in this sector of the economy.
Dante García, founder of Latin Adventures, at Fitur 2024.Juan José Martínez
“Unfortunately, the viralization of videos containing violent material has created a very negative image of the country, although that is not really the case,” explains Carla Cárdenas, assistant manager of Le Parc Hotel in Quito. “Some Spanish tourists just asked me if I could leave my house… Of course I can! “I personally work at the hotel and go for a walk every day.”
Alisson Atkinson, a British businesswoman who runs an agency in London, maintains the agreement with an Ecuadorian tourism company with which she has worked for more than 15 years. He is not too worried about the problem in Ecuador because “unfortunately” it is common in Latin America. “Peru had serious problems on the roads last year and now tourism has picked up again at the same pace.”
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It's five o'clock in the afternoon and the atmosphere is filled with a wave of folk music that guides the steps of a group of dancers. Carlos Ramírez, a member of the group, believes that it is a great incentive that President Daniel Noboa came to the opening of the fair. “It is a sign that we are serious this time.” Fitur was also an excuse to present the new design of the Ecuador brand, promoted by the Ministry of Tourism, which will apply in the coming years: “Ecuador, shine authentically.” The decision is supported by the majority of operators, although there are concerns: they hope that in the future it will not be changed as before and all the work done will be lost.
Tour operator at the Ecuador stand at Fitur 2024. Santi Burgos
In 2001, the country's image was sold under the slogan “Ecuador in its purest form.” Then, after Rafael Correa's government took office, it was “Ecuador loves life” and shortly afterwards “All you need is Ecuador”. Each change in the logo and slogan represented a different marketing strategy to promote the tourist offer.
Cárdenas is blunt: “Unfortunately, there has been no continuity in the concept that Ecuador wants to offer to the world. We changed the minister and everything started again.” He believes it is necessary to have a long-term work path, as Colombia, Peru and Mexico have done with good results. The latter country is considered a popular tourist destination in Latin America, attracting more than 38 million tourists in 2023. “The management of tourism in Ecuador should be declared public policy so that it is immutable.”
“Although we cannot aspire to be a mass tourism destination,” says Diego Escobar, commercial director of Condor Travel, an agency with 30 years of experience in the sector. “We are simply not prepared. We are not Punta Cana or Cancún, where there are mega hotels with 3,000 rooms. We have to try to promote ecotourism and sustainability,” says Escobar.
State of Ecuador, partner country of Fitur 2024.LEV
Challenges that go beyond security
Clearing up the image of uncertainty is not the only challenge for exhibitors. “The ministry can think not only about promoting the country, but also about planning the arrival of these travelers,” criticizes an official who prefers not to reveal her name. “There is a need to train local guides, digitize services and improve road transport. In addition, there is an urgent need to invest in improving infrastructure. It is true that we have waterfalls and lakes, but not enough restaurants, medical centers and roads to guarantee a good experience.”
The latest data released by the government was a breath of fresh air for the sector, which, according to Cárdenas, lost 50% of its reserves in the second week of January. Under a plan called Fénix, the president sent soldiers through the streets and increased control of prisons to quell the violence. So far it seems to be working, the murder rate has fallen from 40 to six per day. “We have returned to 60% of reservations in the last few weeks and hotel investments are strong again,” clarifies the businesswoman.
When the music stops, there is a sea of applause in the cabin. Milka Armijos, a student of Guayaquil parents who arrived in Fitur, shares that “the joy of the place is the vivid image of Ecuador at its best.”
Quitus dance group during a presentation at the Ecuador stand at Fitur 2024.Juan José Martínez
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