The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) published a list of the most prominent countries and cities for holding congresses. Quito appears among the main destinations in the Latin American region for the events industry. The capital of Ecuador is ranked 23 out of 63 cities, which places it on the radar of 'hosted buyers' or those responsible for organizing congresses, conventions and incentive trips, who use this ranking as a reference to choose the venue for their activities. The inclusion of Quito in this list is not new, it has been present in the ranking that the association has published in recent years, which has meant recognition of our city in the field of events industry.
So far in 2023, 72 events have been held in the city, 23 international, 23 national, 22 concerts and 4 sporting events. For the remainder of the year, at least another 31 activities are expected to be carried out. Currently, Quito has more than 115 thousand m2 and 73 locations, including heritage spaces, rural haciendas, contemporary venues, meeting rooms in 5 and 4 star hotels and convention centers; to host all kinds of events. In the inventory there are open spaces, outdoors, ideal for those seeking contact with nature. Additionally, the International Association of Congresses and Conventions ranked Ecuador in 10th place, among all the countries of the continent, for hosting events and meetings, with Quito being the leading city in the country.
It is estimated that the MICE industry generates three to seven times more income than traditional leisure or pleasure tourism, since each business tourist spends approximately USD 680 per day for international meetings, and USD 450 per day in Latin American events with an average stay of five days. The activities have an impact on various sectors such as: lodging, food, transportation, advertising, decoration, floriculture, communication, among others. The ICCA is one of the most important tourism organizations in the world that generates data and information on congresses at an international level.
According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the meetings and events industry is becoming increasingly important in the growth of the world economy, as a fundamental part of the dissemination of knowledge and professional practices, as well as a key factor in improving the understanding between different regions and cultures.