Ecuador ‘Ready’ For Bigger Shows: Juan Carlos Dominguez, CEO Of Feel The Club, On Shakira’s 3 Sold-Out Nights In Quito

Every year or two, there’s a tour that somehow shifts the paradigm and alters the perceptions of everyone in the music industry, pushing the boundaries of live entertainment and showing them what is possible. That’s what Shakira’s global stadium trek did in 2025 with her ambitious production and extended routing, reminding everyone of Latin music’s influence in the live business. Her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour” was a smash hit at the boxoffice, placing second in ticket sales on Pollstar’s Year-End Charts with over 2.9 million sold and fifth in grosses with $320 million earned.

She accomplished those feats by not nly selling out concerts all over the U.S. and 12 nights in Mexico City but also in major and tertiary Latin American markets. The Colombian star set records wherever she went and showed the world that South America is more than capable of handling major productions as local promoters continue to up their game.

Juan Carlos Dominguez, founder and CEO of Feel The Club and Feel The Tickets, is one of the promoters who worked with Shakira and made a case for Ecuador being a viable destination for any artist. The Panamanian-born executive worked on the singer’s three sold-out nights in November at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, Ecuador, moving over 100,000 tickets and grossing $14.4 million, according to Pollstar Boxoffice. Those three nights in Ecuador turned out to be historic for everyone involved. Dominguez says it’s the most successful outing from any artist in the country and had an economic impact of more than $70 million, a watershed moment that places Ecuador on the map and encourages more productions to make their way to the Northern South American nation.

Pollstar reached out to Dominguez to talk about the successful shows as well as the growth and potential of Ecuador in the live entertainment industry.

Pollstar: Congratulations on Shakira’s three sold-out nights in Quito, Ecuador. What can you tell me about bringing such a massive production to the South American country?

Juan Carlos Dominguez: It’s the big show that has been done in Ecuador. Honestly, there’s nothing close to it. We had over 100,000 fans, and we had people from all over Ecuador, from Guayaquil, Cuenca and all the provinces, as well as people from Colombia, Perú and the United States. It was honestly crazy.

The most challenging thing about the shows was the logistics. Shakira travels with everything: large screens, lights, video, etc. We had to bring material from Mexico for that’s used for arena panels, and we brought a lot of the production from Colombia because she had previously had a show in Bogotá. Her show was transported across Ecuador in 44 trailers. Can you imagine? It’s crazy and very challenging with many people working. We’re talking about 1,800 people in total, including the 300 people who travel with her for the production.

That’s incredible. Was it always supposed to be multiple nights?

We announced the show and tickets were sold in just hours, and so we opened a second night and then a third night.

That kind of demand is a testament to the influence of Shakira, but what does it say about the Ecuadorian market?

More than anything, the message that came out of those three nights is that we’re ready for any type of show since a production like Shakira’s is as big as Beyoncé’s. We’re ready, and the demand [for live entertainment] is there.

A lot has changed in the industry since COVID, especially in Latin American markets. How has the live business evolved in Ecuador?

After COVID, I think every market had a high demand for show business, for concerts, right? The people want more. We’re starting to see more sold-outs than ever before, and I think it happens when it’s a good production.

I’ve worked with Bad Bunny, Karol G and Daddy Yankee on his farewell tour, as well as Bruno Mars, Metallica and many more—many stars are making their way to Ecuador. I think we’re up there with any other market. We were congratulated by many on the production and how we handled the logistics. Shakira’s team came away happy. The truth is, we’re going to see more big shows in these markets as more artists embark on global tours, not only due to demand but also because there isn’t as much of a concern about production and logistics as before. The process has improved and these markets are more professional today.

Infrastructure has always been an issue in the region, and it can be difficult to develop new venues because of pushback from government leaders. I imagine successful outings like Shakira’s can change their minds.

The government is very much involved, and municipalities and the mayor’s office were very involved when it came to Shakira, as well as when we did big Luis Miguel shows a few years ago. There was a study done about Shakira’s show and it said that her shows surpassed $70 million in economic impact, affecting restaurants, bars and every other business. I think that really sets the tone and shows how much local authorities want these events to continue because, firstly, they put the country on the map, and secondly, the economic benefits are quite advantageous for everyone.

Your company, Feel The Club, has been around for over two decades. How have you evolved along with the Ecuadorian market?

I started back in 2001 with dance music. We initially focused 100% on electronic music. We were the first to bring Tiësto and many other DJs to Central and South America. I’d say we were pioneers in the region when it came to electronic music, working with artists from Tomorrowland.

And around 2011, we began expanding and working with artists like Metallica, Bruno Mars and Maroon Five, and I worked alongside the world’s biggest promoters, like Live Nation and Cárdenas Marketing Network.

EDM really opened doors for you.

It did. The production of an EDM artist was much more advanced than that of a Latin artist. It’s a bit more advanced technologically, especially when it comes to sound, compared to a cumbia or reggaeton act. I think that really helped me break into the Anglo market.

As EDM grew, it began to fuse with Latin culture. You would see reggaeton artists at Tomorrowland, and there was a fusion of genres.

We have seen a lot of collaborations between DJs and Latin artists in the past few years. It’s been remarkable to see these two worlds, two genres working together.

It’s globalization, more than anything. The Latin artist managed to make its way into EDM, but many genres are fusing with DM. You also have rock artists collaborating with them, and there was a boom with lead singer or guitarists working with DJs on some songs.

I also think it’s because of a desire, a need for new sounds and new ideas. As music is more globalized, artists need to distinguish themselves as they enter new markets.

How do you build on the success of Shakira? How can that kind of success help countries like Ecuador invest in their infrastructure?

That’s what I’m working on now. I have a few ideas for venues, and I think it’s very important that we start modernizing our buildings because there are few markets like those in South America.

Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia are a global force when it comes to live events. I mean, not far from us in North America, you have Mexico City among the five biggest markets in the world. Lima [in Perú] is working on a new venue, and I know Ecuador is doing the same.

We also have to invest in the fan experience and make it more accessible for them when attending shows. They shouldn’t have to wait in a long line, be in a parking lot for a long time, or have to walk 30 minutes just to arrive to the building. We need to facilitate the live experience.

But there is movement. It’s starting to happen in the smaller countries.

This interview was edited for length and clarity