Ecuador
Getting help
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.
Emergency services in Ecuador
Telephone: 911 (ambulance, fire, police)
Tourism police
Quito has a tourism police unit with branches in the north, old town, airport and at bus terminals. There are also tourism police units in the cities of Guayaquil and Cuenca, and in Santa Elena and Imbabura provinces. Ask a police officer to direct you to their offices.
Reporting robbery and theft online
You can report robbery and theft online in English to the Ecuador Attorney General’s Office (‘Fiscalía General’).
Complaining about tourism services
To complain about tourism services, email the Ministry of Tourism: denuncias@turismo.gob.eca.
Contact your travel provider and insurer
Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.
Refunds and changes to travel
For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.
Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:
- where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
- how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim
Support from FCDO
FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:
- finding English-speaking lawyers, funeral directors and translators and interpreters in Ecuador
- dealing with a death in Ecuador
- being arrested or imprisoned in Ecuador
- getting help if you’re a victim of crime
- what to do if you’re in hospital
- if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack
Contacting FCDO
Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.
You can also contact FCDO online.
Help abroad in an emergency
If you’re in Ecuador and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the British Embassy in Quito or your nearest consulate.
FCDO in London
You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.
Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)
Risk information for British companies
The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.