Tourism foundation looks for new attractions

Cuenca’s Municipal Tourism Foundation is exploring ways to increase the city’s tourist appeal beyond the historic district.

Among the attractions the foundation says it will promote are the Cañar and Incan ruins in Todo Santos and Cojitambo as well as the artisanal Fatima chocolate factory. It also says it will emphasize surrounding crafts villages and community and adventure tourism.

“We have done a good job of promoting the historic district and the Panama hat trade but there is so much more to Cuenca,” says a spokeswoman for the foundation. “One of our intentions is to keep tourists in town for longer visits.”

In the first six months of 2013, the foundation says the city hosted 6,099 tourists. 4,779 foreigners and 1,320 Ecuadorians. Most tourists stayed the historic district and, according to the statistics, 57.4% stayed for one to three days.