News

• As of December 2019, this Canadian airline becomes the first non-stop carrier connecting Ecuador and Canada. Quito is thus consolidated as an important tourist destination for the Canadian market.

According to a press release issued this morning, Air Canada Rouge, an affiliate of Air Canada – the major Canadian airline – announced non-stop flights between Toronto and Quito beginning in December of this year. The airline will use a Boeing 767-300 wide cabin aircraft to cover the route with three weekly frequencies initially.

The arrival of a new leisure airline such as Air Canada Rouge in Quito is the result of substantial joint efforts by the central Government, the Municipality of Quito and Corporación Quiport who began negotiations with the airline three years ago.

Ecuadorian Tourism Minister, Rosi Prado de Holguin, said that the Tourism Ministry believes that connectivity is an essential axis for promoting the arrival of visitors to our country. “Connectivity is essential for tourists to fall in love with the country ‘of the four worlds’. Besides, our objective is to have tourism as the third source of non-petroleum income in our country and, as such, each day we work to promote Ecuador all over the world”, she said.

As Air Canada’s airline specialized in tourist destinations, Air Canada Rouge offers value and options to people who love to travel. With flights to more than 70 destinations throughout the world, Air Canada Rouge’s equipment includes 53 aircraft and 2,000 employees and has served more than 25 million customers since it was launched five years ago. Air Canada Rouge’s on board offer includes entertainment, premium cabin, specialized customer service, high velocity satellite Internet (on select flights), and connectivity with Air Canada network and the Star Alliance group.

“Air Canada is expanding its presence in South America as part of its international growth strategy from our global hub in Toronto. Quito, as Ecuador’s capital city, is a major market for tourism and cargo, and Ecuador has an important number of Canadian citizens residing in the country who will benefit from this convenient non-stop flight. Furthermore, our expansion in South America gives us the opportunity to efficiently use our aircraft during the winter months when destinations to the South are more popular”, said Mark Galardo, Air Canada Routes Planning Vice President.

Such increased connectivity opens doors not only to more tourist travel but also serves as a bridge joining peoples and cultures and also brings the Ecuadorian community residing in Canada closer to its country of origin.

“The announcement of Air Canada Rouge’s direct light between Quito and Toronto is significant. This new flight will be a catalyst that will strengthen the ties between Ecuador and Canada and, besides, will provide better travel options to tourists and students, thereby improving commercial exchange. We congratulate Air Canada and the Quito International Airport for this important success!” said Sylvie Bédard, Canadian Ambassador to Ecuador.

In the meantime, Alvaro Maldonado, Secretary for Productive Development and Competiveness of the Municipality of Quito, recalled that “in the past years Quito has substantially increased its connectivity with new routes and more frecuencies to important international destinations. Having the direct Quito-Toronto route will bring new opportunities and ease to reach Canada, one of the world’s most important and high-potential markets. More tourism, increased business, greater connectivity and more competitivity. This reflects great teamwork between the public and private sectors.”

According to Andrew O’Brian, President and Director General of Corporación Quiport and responsible for the overall management of the Quito International Airport, “Air Canada Rouge’s decision to begin operations between Toronto and Quito is very important because not only are we opening a new route but also a new market with much potential. The Ecuadorian community in Toronto is very important, and with this new flight we are opening a door so that it will be better connected its home country. On the other hand, I am sure that Quito is a tourist destination with great potential for Canadian travelers who are eager to visit different places and different customs. In this sense, Ecuador has much to offer in cultural and historic tourism, in adventure and in nature, not forgetting of course its marvelous beaches.

The route to Toronto will also allow Ecuadorian tourists to get closer to Canada, a very friendly country and with unique attractions for Ecuadorians thanks to the geographical and cultural contrast of both countries which, nonetheless, share a common characteristic: kind treatment and friendliness to visitors.”