An advertising campaign dubbed 'Ecuador - Life at its purest', published in the US edition of National Geographic Magazine sent a clear message of sustainable tourism for this country, as it depicts reasons to visit the diverse regions of Ecuador - and not just its crown-jewel and now endangered Galápagos Islands.

One image of the award-winning campaign showed an indigenous man with the vast, impressive and expansive Andes mountain-range in the distance inviting tourists to discover the people and cultures of Ecuador, while another showed the pure and beautiful volcanic mountains of the Andes, while another illustrates the lush tropical Amazonian region. All this was to demonstrate that Ecuador is more than Galápagos.

This is the message that Ecuador's tourism folk will take to FITE 2008, Ecuador's leading national tourism event. Ecuador's Galápagos Islands and its unique flora and fauna were declared at risk and in an environmental crisis by the country's President, Rafael Correa. And that is one of the reasons that the tourism sector is keen on developing its mainland infrastructure.

FITE takes place at the waterfront port-city of Guayaquil with its collection of modern, high-class tourism infrastructure developments. The futuristic Malecón is a riverside promenade is adorned with sculptures, suave restaurants, a conference facility, a museum and even an IMAX theatre.

An integral marketing plan of the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism is ambitious, targeting increasing tourism numbers significantly in the coming years. Targets include attracting some 1.7 million visitory yearly by 2010. The strategy encourage travelers to Ecuador to experience the capital Quito, parts of the Amazon rain forest, the highlands, its volcanoes, its culture, its Pacific coastline, its beaches or its gastronomy. Top countries of origin of incoming tourism, according to Ecuador Tourism Ministry figures, were Peru, the United States, Columbia, Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany.

FITE allows visitors access to Ecuador’s internal market, comprised of more than twelve million inhabitants, who have taken close to 700,000 trips to other countries, officials say. This event is also external, includes more than 45 countries that make their presence with stands or delegations.

Related articles and exhibition:

More than Galápagos
Walking gently in paradise
Images from Ecuador




FITE - International Tourism Fair in Ecuador
Dates: September 25-28, 2008
Venue: New Exhibition and Conventions Center Simón Bolívar
Address: Gral. Elizalde 119 y Pichincha, Ofic.5-1
City, Country: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Telephone: [593] 42.53.09.94
FITE Website