The country’s Tourism Minister Niels Olsen was bursting with enthusiasm as he led a tour of the Ecuador stand followed by an exclusive interview with ITB Berlin News.
The politician spoke about the diversity of Ecuador’s tourism sector which can be divided into four different regions, all represented by 30 co-exhibitors at the trade show. The country offers an exciting mix of experiences, and is known for its adventure and sports tourism as well as its fresh products and exotic natural environments.
Speaking on the last day of the event, Mr Olsen commented: “We are challenging the way we showcase Ecuador to give the country a fair representation. Covering both the northern and southern hemisphere, Ecuador is right in the middle of the world, and our stand is right in the middle of this exhibition space. At its heart, we have our chocolate and coffee station, which we are very proud to showcase as some of the best in the world. We are also promoting our wine region which is very promising and offers a unique experience for visitors to explore our vineyards.”
The Ecuador stand wowed attendees with chocolate making and coffee tasting classes as well as wine tasting and live traditional dancers. But perhaps the most stand-out feature was its flower garden – a circular oasis bursting with fresh orchids to represent the country’s 50 species.
Mr Olsen also spoke sincerely about the country’s passion for sustainability. “All the materials used at the show are going to be reused at future events,” he said. “We are trying to reuse as much as we can. We are focusing massively on sustainability and we are also trying to attract better tourism with more conscious travellers who hopefully stay for longer periods of time and are interested in protecting the special natural environment we have to offer.”
