a creative new offering of multi-hub hybrid meetings
Quito Tourism Board is proud to announce it has recently joined the Hybrid City Alliance, founded in December 2020 by The Hague Convention Bureau, Ottawa Tourism Business Events, Prague Convention Bureau and Geneva Convention Bureau, in a collaboration that sees like-minded destinations come together to provide a creative new offering for conference and event buyers. The alliance includes 14 cities at the moment and Quito is the first one in South America.
The meetings industry in Quito has grown considerably in the past years, positioning the city as top 11 preferred city in South America for hosting international events, according to ICCA’s ranking for 2019 (The International Congress and Convention Association). Quito Tourism Board’s objective for the coming years is to continue to attract big international events and position the city at top levels in the ranking, while creating a strategic plan for 2021 in conjunction with all the players and sectors involved.
The Hybrid City Alliance provides international event organizers with a streamlined event planning and delivery service. Rather than working directly with multiple destinations, clients can make use of the Hybrid City Alliance’s close links, with a central point of contact at their preferred Alliance member, who will coordinate responses, RFPs and delivery.
The members of the Hybrid City Alliance, though very different in their own right, have similarities that make them ideal partners. Conferences and meetings spread across the hubs will therefore be aligned in terms of destination size, offering, specialty, welcome and feel.
The multi-hub concept has several benefits, specifically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Delegates can for example choose to attend either online or at a local or regional event, reflecting local travel restrictions. A local hub also has the benefit of reducing travel time – which in turn has a financial impact for the delegate as well as a positive sustainable impact on the planet.
Updates about travels to Quito
Quito was awarded World Travel & Tourism Council’s Safe Travels Stamp in 2020, in recognition of its compliance with health and hygiene standardized protocols for the travel industry, as well as its effective efforts in aligning the sector to adapt to the new normal, so consumers could experience safe travels.
Quito’s International Airport currently welcomes more than 15 airlines that cover national and international routes, including Avianca, Latam, KLM, Iberia, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Aeromexico, Copa, Wingo, Delta Airlines, Air Europa, and American Airlines. More routes are scheduled to reopen during the following months.
Travelers who carry a vaccination certificate, that proves they have received the complete COVID-19 vaccine doses, will be granted border entry without a negative PCR test. If people do not have the respective vaccine, they must have a negative PCR test to enter Ecuador, with a validity of up to 72 hours before their arrival.
Find out more at Quito Tourism Board’s website.
