Ecuador Tourism is launching a sustainable tourism development plan at WTM in a bid to double international visitor arrivals by 2020.
Called Plandetur 2020, it will focus on four geographical areas – the Galapagos, the coastline, the Andes and the Amazon.
Financed by the Spanish government through the Inter-American Development Bank, just under $198 million will be invested in the programme by 2020.
Of this, $75.7million will be used to develop tourist facilities, enhance infrastructure and introduce sustainable tourism practices in nature reserves and conservation areas.
Ecuador Tourism executive director Patricio Tamariz said: “Plandetur 2020 will allow Ecuador to develop as a mainstream brand and become a leader in sustainable tourism, offering authentic and unique experiences that are tied to Ecuador’s natural and cultural resources.”
The country welcomed just over 840,000 international visitors in 2006 and aims to reach more than two million by 2020.
Of these, 118,000 were Europeans, including 32,770 Spanish and 24,344 British.
by Bev Fearis
