Current situation of tourism in Ecuador: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Before the health crisis, one of the most important sectors for the national economy was
tourism, therefore to guarantee the economic development it is necessary to reactivate and boost
this sector. The objective of this research was to identify challenges and opportunities for tourism in
Ecuador through the analysis of information collected through bibliographic review. A socio-
demographic tourist profile was described in periods before and after COVID- 19, and changes were
identified in terms of travel, interests and needs. The results obtained refer that the health crisis
modifies the preferences related to the company, destinations and number of nights, thus, tourists
currently prefer to travel as a couple or alone, they choose large places to avoid contagion and
spend fewer nights at their destination. Finally, the study concluded that the current situation
represents a challenge for the country in terms of the improvement and diversification of tourist
attractions, that if carried out and managed properly, it could generate a positive economic impact in
a medium or long term.