The taste of nostalgia that fuels tourism and income

Ecuadornews:

The aromas are mixed and the nostalgia tastes like typical food, at least for 258million emigrants in the world. For those who are Ecuadorians the flavor is encebollado, guatita, bandera, ceviche or bolones. It even tastes likedesserts: borrachitos (a dough imbibed in honey) or cat tongue (cookies).

But,the taste of entertaining the palate is tied to a place and family walks. Ginna Salas from when she puts her feet in the airport John F. Kennedy, of New York, towards Guayaquil and mentally savors the encebollado.

For those who live in the city, an iconic restaurant represents a good banquet. But for the emigrant it is a reunion with the land that gave birth to it, with its history, with its people, with the aromas of its country and with its family.It is estimated that Ecuador has 1’571,450 emigrants.

According to the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences and the Population Fund of the United Nations, between 1999 (year of the banking holiday) and 2007, more than950,000 people emigrated from the country. In this group Magaly Barzola left,the debts of her business increased fivefold due to the exchange rate of sucresto dollars; at that time a dollar cost 25,000 sucres and the basic salary was100,000 sucres. After paying her debts she stayed in the USA. Now when she comes to Guayaquil she likes to go to La Canoa restaurant, to eat guatita and bouillon.

The journey through the iconic restaurants of the city is also for the neighborhood business, which the emigrant brings in his memory of flavors.

María Martínez left the country 28 years ago and likes the encebollado de ‘Platazo’.A local with 40 years of experience.

December is a month in which emigrants come home and refresh the flavors of their nostalgia. This group is joined by the reunions of friends who live in the city.

Gino Luzi, former general manager of the Grand Hotel Guayaquil, tells Diario EXPRESO that in December the income in restaurants doubled, compared to other months of the year.

Entrepreneur shave identified this niche, to offer them services that make their stay enjoyable. Holbach Muñetón, president of the National Federation of Provincial Chambers of Tourism, indicates that December boosts the economy of tourism.However, encourages to see the whole and not just a month, to further boost the sector.

Yesterday,he met with the new Minister of Tourism, Rosi Prado, to give ideas that help the progress and preparation of the road map.

From January to November of this year, the growth of the entrance of travelers tothe country is 53.4% ​​(2’204,435 people). Muñetón questions this figure,states that they must get the income of Venezuelans out of there, because they do not come for tourism.

Although foreign currency revenues in the first half rose 49.6% (1,156.9 million dollars) compared to 2017. “But, it should be taken into account that the relationship is with a year that had economic contraction.”

Now the goal is that the Ecuadorian gastronomy is not a delight only for emigrants,but for all travelers, because the flavors attract as much as the landscapes.

The Coast attracts more

At Christmas 2017 the Costa attracted 48% of domestic tourism and on the end of the year holiday it was 68%, according to the Ministry of Tourism. The in comefor the entire country from the first date was $ 24 million and from the second party, it was $ 52 million.

There were 362,200 people out of the land terminal in Guayaquil and 383,000 at the end of the year. It is estimated that these figures will increase, there are already reservations in the hotels that point to it. (I)

Source: https://www.expreso.ec/economia/comercio-gastronomia-economia-restaurantes-ventas-FC2532227