The Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador presented the Marketing Plan for 2022, as well as the objectives up to 2025. The 2022 to 2025 tourism investment budget is USD 47.3 million, divided into four years, USD 41.6 million will be used to promote the country and USD 5.6 million will be used for innovation and new products.
In 2022, the Ministry will allocate a budget of USD 3,316,196 for international investment marketing in the prioritized markets. The plan contemplates investing USD 1,044,821 to develop valuable tools that will serve to position Ecuador in the world.
During this year, USD 934,453 will also be allocated to strengthen national tourist destinations.
The Minister of Tourism, Niels Olsen, pointed out that, during 2021, Ecuador had high growth in terms of tourism with 25.8% if compared to an average of 4% worldwide growth and 17% growth in the Americas.
According to Olsen, the strategy focuses on attracting tourism with a high environmental, economic, and social return, focused on nature, gastronomy, culture, and rural areas, without forgetting the meetings, events, and conventions segment.
The promotion of the country will be 70% focused on international tourism including the markets such as the United States, United Kingdom and Europe; the objective is to attract more foreign exchange and inject it into the Ecuadorian economy.
The remaining 30% will be directed to the domestic market, "in order to promote circulation and redistribution of resources focusing on rural zones, promoting domestic travel to new destinations, in addition to the traditional ones".
Likewise, the investment in international tourism marketing campaign will be segmented to tourism with high environmental, economic, and social returns. Domestic tourism will have priority during the seasons and holidays, and the investment will be segmented by age, socioeconomic profile, and other aspects.
In this scenario, the allocation of USD 5.2 million for 2022 will be distributed to the promotion in the international markets, the domestic market, the Marketing and Technical Assistance Plan, promotional and audiovisual material, and nation branding, the Ministry said.
50% of the international promotion budget will be directed to the U.S. market, taking into account factors such as greater connectivity, fewer restrictions for entering the country post-covid-19, and a representative average expenditure, among others.
38% of the international budget will be invested into the European market, while 7% will be intended for the Latin American market and 5% will be used to develop a user-friendly website with all the necessary information for international and domestic travelers.
The ministry also mentioned the fairs and promotional events that will be attended in 2022: Adventure Elevate, Virtuoso, Signature, Remote, USTOA, LATA Expo, IFTM Top Resa, and WTM.
Two roadshows will be held in the United States, one in the United Kingdom and another in Europe, in addition to a series of Fam and Press Trips. The latter activity will be carried out both in the domestic market and abroad. Internationally, Ecuador will work with embassies and commercial offices on trade relations, public relations, affiliations and digital campaigns in all priority markets.
With regards to domestic tourism, the minister announced that they will pay special attention to holidays, seasons and weekend trips, with social networks campaigns, promoting cities that traditionally do not have a high turnover, and strengthening the web with information of interest to travelers, provided by operators and service providers in the sector.