Foreign Office warns UK tourists after holiday hotspot 'gripped by violence'
According to new research, Ecuador has seen the largest decline worldwide in its Peace Index score since 2023.
Holidaymakers going abroad in 2025 have been warned a beautiful tourist destination has been gripped by 'violence'. According to new research, Ecuador has seen the largest decline worldwide in its Peace Index score since 2023.
The international health insurance experts at William Russell identified that, globally, Ecuador has the "largest decline" in its peace score. They stated: "A lot of this has been attributed to a lot of gang and drug-related violent crime in the region, with 70 per cent of Ecuadorians admitting to not feeling safe in their city or neighbourhood at night.
"It reached such heights that the new President, Daniel Noboa, declared a state of emergency, officially branding 22 gangs as terrorist organisations." This comes as Ecuador saw a 47.7-point change in its Peace Index score from 2023 to 2024.
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The Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to the Coastal Region provinces of Esmeraldas, Manabí, Santa Elenam Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. This does not apply to airside transit within Guayaquil Airport in Guayas province.
It also advises against travel to within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border. It states: " FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the Ecuador-Colombia border, except for these areas in Carchi province."
It has earmarked El Ángel Ecological Reserve, Rumichaca border crossing, the town of Tulcán and the Pan-American Highway as problem areas. On 24 February the Committee of Emergency Operations (COE) declared a regional state of emergency, due to heavy rainfall, in the following provinces: Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Esmeraldas, Santa Elena, Loja and Azuay.
Countries that have seen their Peace Index score decline since 2023 (top 10)
- Ecuador: 47.7 score change
- Haiti: 43.2 score change
- Israel: 40.9 score change
- Palestine: 33.4 score change
- Gabon: 30.4 score change
- Sudan: 30.4 score change
- Lesotho: 27 score change
- Senegal: 25.7 score change
- Togo: 25.1 score change
- Eritrea: 24.3 score change