Ecuador’s Minister of Tourism, Freddy Ehlers reports that the country's tourism infrastructure has resumed normal operations after a series of strikes and protests by Ecuadorian police officers shut down aiports and blocked highways last week, causing the government to delcare a state of emergency at the time. "The situation has stabilized in Ecuador and all has returned to normal in Ecuador’s main cities where political events took place," Ehlers said. "All businesses have reopened and commercial activities have fully resumed.”
Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito and the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil reopened Friday morning as all domestic and international flight service in and out of Ecuador resumed.
Public transportation in Quito, as well as taxis, trolleybuses, and buses are fully functioning, as all tourism related services have returned to normal operation. The areas of Quito and Guayaquil affected by the protests were relatively small and show little to no sign of damage. No hotels were damaged and all foreign travelers in Ecuador are safe and unharmed.
“We are working hand in hand with travel industry and providing support to tour operators, travel agencies and airlines in order to facilitate for their clients to continue on with their travel plans with no further interruptions," Ehlers said. "The Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador will put a new National Strategy of Tourism Security into effect in early 2011 with the participation and support of several [organizations], as well as the private and public tourism sectors. This initiative will ensure travelers feel even more secure and well looked after while traveling across the country with free tourism assistance and services in key areas, as well as easy access to information and the latest news, and new security measures at airports and other transportation hubs."