Balnearios de Santa Elena started the holiday with up to 50% of hotel reservation; the beaches of Manabí and Esmeraldas, were also among the favorite destinations

The spas of the Ecuadorian coast were the main destinations visited by tourists in the first hours of the five-day holiday in Ecuador, which ends on Wednesday, November 3.

The beaches of Santa Elena, Manabí and Esmeraldas were the busiest places on this day. This was evident in these localities and that was also confirmed by tourist servers who bet on the economic reactivation on the longest holiday of this time.

From Guayaquil they were part of the tourists. Only from the Jaime Roldós Aguilera land terminal about 3,000 buses left this Saturday, October 30. And in the morning, the passenger transport cooperatives that went to the towns of Santa Elena registered long lines. The buses to Montañita, Olón and Salinas were full, since now the capacity of 100% is allowed.

There are a total of 88 transport cooperatives that are operating in the main Buenos Aires land terminal, taking travelers to different parts of the country.

Some 185,000 passengers are expected to leave Guayaquil through that terminal.

Salinas, Montañita and Ayangue, with more visitors and good weather

More visitors came to the Santa Elena spas as the first hours of this holiday passed. Good weather welcomed them, as well as different activities that have been prepared for these days.

The hotel reservation in Salinas stood at 40%, reported Otto Lamán, director of tourism for the Municipality of that jurisdiction.

On the other hand, the towns of Montañita and Ayangue, in the Santa Elena canton, surpassed, this Saturday, 50% of hotel reservations.

And there are good expectations for the arrival of more visitors in the next few hours. And this because there are also activities such as the Comic Fans and an entrepreneurship fair that will be held until November 2 at the Salinas Ulpiano Páez airport.

On Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 there will also be several national and international artistic presentations.

The Ecuadorian Transit Commission (CTE) registered the entry of 4,700 vehicles until noon yesterday, most of them light. A large number arrived in the Peninsula through State Road 40 that connects with the Guayas.

Traffic agents, policemen and sailors are part of the operations arranged to guarantee a safe stay.

After noon, a large area of ​​San Lorenzo and Chipipe beach was already covered by visitors. In Santa Elena, there was also hope in the tourist servers for the reactivation in the Ayangue and Montañita towns, which looked full on the first day of the holiday.

At the Sumpa land terminal, an increase in the demand for bus tickets that go to the north was reported. In the afternoon and evening the operations would intensify.

In Manabí there was also an influx of tourists

The sports areas such as soccer and beach volleyball fields, as well as the outdoor exercise areas at El Murciélago beach, in Manta, Manabí, were crowded with visitors.

The rate of arrival of visitors increased as the hours passed. A group of Brazilians enjoyed the sun and the rhythms of their country. Alejandro Cedeño, a seller of corviches and fried ripe fruit, said that he hoped that the other days this spa would be even more crowded.

Augusto Mena arrived in Manta on Friday night with his family from the city of Quito. He said that he preferred to arrive in advance to return on Monday, November 1.

“If I stay until Wednesday, the vehicular traffic is in greater demand and now in Santo Domingo by Alluriquín they were doing some work and it was better to do it calmly to return to work on Thursday,” said Mena.

In the dining rooms of the Escénico de Manta boardwalk, (attached to El Murciélago beach), music was heard moderately with rhythms linked to salsa. The smell of dishes such as fish casserole or mixed with other seafood, fried sweet potatoes and ceviches whet their appetite.

In the province of Esmeraldas, the beaches of the Atacames canton were the most visited on the first day. (I)