All You Need is Ecuador... in London

By Russell Maddicks
A towering letter E decorated with large photos of tropical birds created quite a stir in London's bustling Victoria train station on 1 April. Standing in the centre of the busy concourse, it was hard to avoid the large letter, which easily attracted the attention of the rail and tube passengers scurrying past.

On closer examination, it was clear the letter was also decorated with information linked to Ecuador's latest tourism campaign, encapsulated in the hashtag #AllYouNeedIsEcuador and the slogan: "Like nowhere else. All in one place. So close. Galapagos, Pacific Coast, Andes, Amazon".

On hand to answer questions about the campaign, give tourism advice, and dish out Ecuadorian chocolates and roses was Magaly, a young Ecuadorian studying at university in London.

Magaly explained that one of the focuses of the London campaign is to draw attention to the incredible birdwatching opportunities in Ecuador, which has some 1,630 species of birds, including 132 species of hummingbirds (a world record), and birdwatching opportunities in the Amazonian jungle, the Andes, the cloudforests of Mindo, and the islands of the Galapagos. 

When I arrived, Magaly was wearing a crochet mask of Diablo Huma, a popular figure from the annual Inti Raymi (Sun God) festival in Otavalo.

Inti Raymi dates back to the time when the Incas briefly ruled Ecuador, and is just one of a hundred folk festivals celebrated around the country.

As Magaly pointed out: "Ecuador is not just a mega-diverse country in terms of its geography and ecology, with Andes mountains, snow-capped volcanoes, Pacific coast, Amazon jungle and the Galapagos Islands. We are also a mega-diverse people with a long history and culture, which is reflected in our music, our festivals and our food."

Tourism has been booming for Ecuador in the last few years, reaching a record 1.3 million tourist arrivals in 2013 and a forecast of 1.5 million for 2014.

The global #AllYouNeedIsEcuador promotion campaign has cost about $18 million, including $1.3 million to acquire the rights to use the classic Beatle's song "All You Need Is Love" in the videos that accompany the campaign.

The E will be in Victoria for a week or so, and is just one of the 19 letters that spell out All You Need Is Ecuador that have been positioned in 12 capital cities around the world and in seven Ecuadorian cities. (See full details and video here) 

If you're in the vicinity of Victoria station this week, pop in and say hello. You might get a pink or yellow rose, or a small bar of single-origin dark chocolate made by Republica del Cacao.

For more information about visiting Ecuador and inspiring photographs and videos of the country visit http://allyouneedisecuador.travel/en

 

   
   

All You Need is... Ecuador

By Russell Maddicks

You can't get much bigger or more internationally famous than Liverpool band the Beatles, so it should come as no surprise that the government of Ecuador has paid $1.3 million for the right to use the Beatles' song "All You Need is Love" to launch the biggest tourism campaign in its history.

With the slogan "Like nowhere else, all in one place, and so close. All you need is... Ecuador", the country is hoping to capitalize on its world-renowned natural beauty spots like the Galapagos Islands, its snow-capped Andean volcanoes, the magnificent colonial-era cities of Quito and Cuenca, and its bio-diverse Amazon rainforest, which are all packed into an area slightly larger than Great Britain or the US state of Colorado.

The idea is to boost visitor numbers and make tourism the country's third biggest revenue provider after oil, and agricultural exports of bananas and cocoa.

The new campaign will launch on 1 April in 12 cities across the globe, including Paris, Madrid, Sao Paulo, Bogota, New York, Santiago, Berlin, London, Lima, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Buenos Aires.

Seven cities in Ecuador will also participate: Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca, Manta, Loja, Tena, and Santa Cruz.

The idea is to have a different letter of the phrase "All you need is Ecuador" in each city as a form of teaser campaign, which includes quick response (QR) codes, a dedicated webpage, and a hashtag - #AllYouNeedis (@AllYouNeedis_ -,to encourage passers by to find out what the letters mean.

In Paris, France, the letter A will be displayed in the Gare de Lyon train station with an image of the Toquilla straw used to weave the iconic, but erroneously-named Panama hat.

In Madrid, Spain, the letter L will be displayed at the main Atocha railway station, with an image of colorful masks from Ecuador's many folk festivals.

In Sao Paulo, Brazil, the letter L will be displayed at the Morumbi shopping mall showing a snow-capped mountain from the Valley of the Volcanoes in the Ecuadorian Andes.

In Bogota, Colombia, the letter Y will be displayed in El Virrey Park with an image of Baroque art, representing the colonial splendor of the churches of Quito and Cuenca, which are recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In New York, in the United States,the letter O will be displayed in Gasenvoort Plaza, with an image related to the country's production of fine aromatic cocoa beans that are used in some of the best chocolate in the world.

In Santiago, the capital of Chile, the letter U will be displayed at the Parque Arauco boulevard, with an image of the fine textiles produced by Ecuador's many highland indigenous groups.

In Berlin, Germany, the letter N will be on display at the Sony Center, with an image from the recently reopened and revamped narrow-gauge railway line that links Guayaquil to Quito, crossing dramatic Andean valleys with antique steam trains still working along some sections.

In London, England, the letter E will be displayed at Victoria Station, with an image of one of the spectacular birds that draw international birders to the country. A relatively small country with an incredible geographical diversity that includes Andean mountains, Amazon rainforest, lowland desert, high paramo, Pacific coast and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is home to over 1,630 species of birds.

in Lima, Peru, the letter E will be displayed at Salazar Park - Larcomar, with an image of extreme sports. While climbing with crampons across the glaciers of the highest active volcanoes in the world has brought mountaineers to Ecuador for many years, there is now a wide range of adventure sports available in places like Baños de Agua Santa, a popular stop for travelers.

In Mexico City, the letter D will be displayed at the Paseo de la Reforma, with an image of the Galapagos Islands, known for their biodiversity and their connection to Charles Darwin and his Theory of Evolution.

In Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, the letter I will be displayed at Schiphol Airport, with an image of the country's famous orchids, another legacy of its extreme biodiversity.

In Buenos Aires in Argentina, the letter S will be displayed at Puerto Madero, with an image of roses, one of Ecuador's key exports, especially to the United States, where a large percentage of the roses bought on Valentine's Day come from Ecuador. Some 40% of Ecuador's roses are exported to the United States, 25% to Russia and 9% to the Netherlands.

So what makes you want to visit Ecuador? Let me know by leaving a comment below and I'll feature your suggestions in future posts.

Visit the official All you need is Ecuador website for photos, videos and more information about where to visit and what to in Ecuador.  

On Twitter use the hashtag #AllYouNeedIsEcuador