The beautiful but underrated city about to experience a tourism boom
This South American capital city often flies under the radar for holidaymakers but travel experts predict millions of tourists will flock here over the next year.
Quito is set to experience an unprecedented tourism boom with many travel experts calling it the next trendy destination.
Ecuador's capital, which often flies under the radar among tourists searching for a getaway, has been largely shunned by British holidaymakers. However, Quito has been named as one of the best 24 places to go in 2024 by CN Traveller, which summed it up as "a city on the rise".
More than 1.2 million tourists visited the South American city in 2022 - and that number is set to explode in the coming years, according to travel experts.
They suggest the rise in tourists is thanks to a brand-new metro transport system, trendy restaurants, luxurious hotels and gorgeous day trips into nature.
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Quito's blend of the old and new is also singled out for praise. Some of the best modern architecture of the moment lives alongside a UNESCO World Heritage colonial centre. CN Traveller said Quito was becoming "an unlikely new hub of contemporary architecture" - despite sitting on earthquake-prone land as well as Incan ruins.
In late 2023, an all-new metro was inaugurated to better connect the city's sprawling parts.
The capital is also making a name for itself in the culinary world, with trendy new restaurants constantly popping up. Chef and co-owner of the Nuema, restaurant, Pia Salazar, won World’s Best Pastry Chef 2022 and 2023.
Local residents in Quito have a reputation for being welcoming and kind, while the nightlife in the capital is praised for its vibrancy.
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Nature lovers will find plenty to enjoy in the 489-year-old city, with Quito Botanical Gardens housing an array of plants native to South America and the forested Parque Itchimbía, which offers great views over the old town and sights of rare trees and orchids in its 19th-century greenhouse.
TripAdvisor noted that Quito "remains the least-altered historic centre in Latin America" which "sprawls across a breathtaking Andean valley surrounded by volcanic peak".
However, British tourists could experience a shakey few days to start their Quito trip, given its altitude of 2,850m in the Andean foothills.
Last year, Niels Olsen, Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism, singled out British tourists as the country laid out plans to boost arrivals.
He said: “In a post-pandemic era, tourists are seeking increased contact with nature. Our aim is to attract more conscious British travellers who want to travel in a slower and more mindful way.”
However, it should be noted that since January 2024, an "internal armed conflict" broke out in Ecuador, between the country's government and several organised cartel crime groups. At the time, President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency and then an internal state of war.
While Quito remains safe from the ongoing conflict, the British Foreign Office has warned against all but essential travel to the western coastal regions due to the ongoing conflict.
