From July 6th to the 8th, Ecuador hosted the visit of Pope Francis. During his visit he toured the main attractions of the cities of Quito, Guayaquil and El Quinche. Several strategies where developed in this event of transcendental importance for the country to promote religious tourism and attract international visitors.
In anticipation to this event, the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) took the initiative to organize a course on Religious Heritage Management and Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean, merging faith tourism with cultural tourism. The approach was based on the architectural rich heritage owned by Ecuador. The course was aimed at municipal officials in the areas of tourism, culture and planning; various organizations; students and companies related to religious heritage management.
The income generated by the mobility of nearly a million people in Quito and Guayaquil generated around USD 43 million.
