Quito hosted Latin America’s most important travel industry event last month, Travel Mart Latin America, which set new records in the number of appointments made between professionals and set the bar higher for future hosts.
Travel Mart Latin America 2008 (
www.travelmartlatinamerica.com ) took place in Quito over 10-12 September, with nearly 1,000 delegates attending from 43 countries. 330 international buyers, mostly from North America and Europe, along with 650 vendors from Latin America took part in the 32nd annual event at the Centro de Exposiciones Quito, which made a great, central venue and which was beautifully decorated.
Using the ‘Select Match’ system, Travel Mart achieved a record 7,756 appointments over two days, with the possibility of participants arranging extra appointments at the last minute.
Nearly 20 international journalists were invited to be part of the Travel Mart extravaganza in Quito, and nearly all of them took part in pre- and post-tours to different corners of the country. These included BBC World’s ‘Fast Track’ programme, Travel Channel International from London, and the editor of the South American Handbook, among others.
The Ministry of Tourism, through the Tourism Promotion Fund; The Municipality of Quito, through the Quito Visitors’ Bureau; the Provincial Chamber of Tourism CAPTUR, and the private sector joined forces to ensure the success of this year’s Travel Mart in Quito.
The inauguration events in the Historic Center and closing ceremony at the Itchimbía Cultural Centre were true festivals of culture, folklore and first-class entertainment. The two events alone involved over 400 artists, including trapeze acts, characters from traditional processions and celebrations, the Metropolitan Ballet, the Ecuadorian Contemporary Chamber Ballet, as well as half-a-dozen local brass bands and a herd of llamas!
The participants were welcomed to Ecuador and Quito during the inauguration ceremony inside La Compañía de Jesús Church by the Mayor of Quito, Paco Moncayo, and by President of the Republic, Rafael Correa.
The Mayor highlighted the importance of tourism for the capital’s economy, generating over $600 million in 2007, and emphasized the Municipality’s support, through such infrastructure projects as the new airport, due to begin operations in late 2010.
The President announced the government would be further increasing the Ministry of Tourism’s budget from $21 million (tripled in 2008) to around $37 million in 2009.
(See the Speeches of the President and the Mayor
here )
The Minister of Tourism, Verónica Sion, spoke during the closing ceremony. She thanked all participants for the success of the event, and focused on two ‘star’ projects the government will be focusing on in the coming years: the ‘Train in the Middle of the World’ and the ‘Qhapaq Ñan’, Ecuador’s own Inca Trail.
Participants from across the globe took up the great pre- and post-tours offered by a dozen tour operators at great prices, advertised through
www.travelmartquito.com , to Ecuador’s four worlds: Galápagos, Costa, Andes and Amazon.
Several of the visitors agreed that this year’s event, the 32nd Travel Mart, was probably the most spectacular of all, with great organization, amazing events and Ecuadorians’ renowned hospitality – definitely putting the name of Ecuador and Quito on the tourist map.
See images of Travel Mart in Quito
here 
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