Tourism Flows in Ecuador

PROSPECTS

Ecuador focuses on its natural attractions and heritage to attract tourists

Ecuador has been recognised as a leading destination for its natural attractions and is positioned as a destination with several alternatives for tourism at a short distance, for example city breaks as well as hiking, jungle adventures or luxury cruises to the Galapagos Islands. It has traditionally served as an attractive destination for backpackers and tourists looking for adventure travel, however the fact that Ecuador is a dollarised economy has not played in favour of Ecuador as a travel destination, as it proves more expensive for foreigners than other neighbouring countries such as Colombia or Peru.

Outbound departures recover boosted by lower ticket prices

Economic and political uncertainty affected outbound flows in 2016 and 2017, however 2018 is expected to see a recovery as a result of a more stable political environment but also due to an increasing supply of lower cost alternatives particularly in air ticket prices as low cost carriers gain traction and scheduled airlines are forced into a price war to remain competitive. The main markets for Ecuadorians to travel abroad are the US, Colombia and Peru.

Violent terrorist attacks a threat to arrivals and domestic tourism

The first half of 2018 surprised Ecuador with violent attacks from dissident groups of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) - a guerrilla group that recently signed a peace deal in Colombia - in the northern province of Esmeraldas, a top tourist destination for locals and internationals, and home to one of the three international airports. This had an immediate effect on domestic tourism to the province, which had just begun to recover from the negative effects of the 2016 earthquake and the zika outbreak, and the negative effects are expected to continue through the medium term or longer.

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