Thanks to the Super Bowl, it just might! Ecuador is not only making a big push for tourism, but they’re making history with their scheduled advertisement for Super Bowl Sunday.
Ecuador will be the first foreign nation to have a tourism ad during the big game! For $3.8 million, they will receive a 30-second advertisement said to follow the popular “All You Need Is Ecuador” campaign. On top of the 3.8 million investment, their purchase of the Beatles’ song “All You Need Is Love” to accompany the ad, is said to have cost an additional 2 million. Since the launch of their new targeted tourism campaign last spring, Ecuador has seen almost a 15% increase in visitors from abroad.
You can get a sneak peak of what their Super Bowl advertisement might look like here in a similar video from the “All You Need Is Ecuador” campaign.
Our Special Projects Coordinator Ashley, and past intern, Adriana, were down in Ecuador for the last two weeks checking out the scene. They volunteered with the market street children in the south of Quito, explored more adventurous and scenic areas like Mindo and Quilotoa, and met with many international travel focused organizations–from the study and intern sector, to volunteering organizations and language schools! They could feel the energy and hype around tourism for the future. There’s even a new airport in Quito to welcome visitors.
Discussions with host families, tour guides, new friends, and business contacts all included mention of the economic focus on tourism. With gas prices going down (one of Ecuador’s main sources of revenue is oil), the nation is redirecting their focus and finances toward tourism in hopes that even a small surge (some are saying 1-2%, or about 13,000 more visitors) will pay off their investment in the Super Bowl ad. A few years from now they hope to boast tourism as their #1 source of revenue.
Based on our staff’s visit, we can bet the ad will focus on Ecuador’s incredible biodiversity, a spotlight on the Galapagos islands, and the many different ways that Ecuador might pique a traveler’s interest. And, all in 30 seconds!
So, all you need is to: Disconnect. Contemplate. Believe. Fly. Conquer. Evolve. Relax. Share. Enjoy. Smile. Restart. Imagine. Understand. Surprise. Touch. Decide. Feel. Wonder. Like No Where Else. All In One Place. So Close. All You Need Is Ecuador.
Oh, and to tune in February 1st to watch the Patriots vs. the Seahawks for Super Bowl XLIX and let us know what you think of Ecuador’s ad! If you don’t catch the ad, it might be because you don’t live in Miami, New York or San Francisco (the main target markets where the ad is broadcast).
However, with the U.S. being Ecuador’s second largest tourist market next to Colombia, we sure hope it makes an impact on those who see it! There are so many amazing volunteer experiences, universities for study abroad, and internships to be found in this land on the equator!
