A second holiday company has refused to take new bookings to the region of Ecuador where nine Britons were tied up and robbed at gun and knifepoint in a 45-minute ordeal.

The attack last Sunday night - reported exclusively on Times Online - has prompted an immediate response from the Ecuadorian government, which has promised increased police numbers in Mindo, 80kms from the capital, Quito.

And the Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its travel advice today to include the attack. While not recommending against travel, the FCO website referred to the attack: "While no other such incidents have been reported in this area we advise general caution when booking or staying in remote locations throughout Ecuador. Similar armed robberies have taken place over the years in other areas such as the jungle lodges."

The country's Minister of Tourism has also said she is personally following the hunt for the attackers and pledged a security review across the country.

Britons robbed at gunpoint in Ecuador

Masked gang armed with guns and machetes tie up, rob and terrorise nine Britons in an Andean village

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But Last Frontiers, one of the biggest operators to Ecuador, has already joined another holiday firm, Explore, in refusing to send holidaymakers to Mindo, a rapidly growing tourist region renowned for birdwatching

Ed Paine, managing director of Last Frontiers - who is also chairman of the Latin American Travel Association - said: "We are advising passengers booked to Mindo of the incident, and adjusting itineraries if they feel uneasy.

"We are still evaluating the situation with our local operator so we can take an informed longer-term view, and will not make new bookings there until we are happy with the level of risk."

The nine Britons were among a group of 12 tourists travelling with Explore, and were on the first night of a £3,000 a head trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands when the attack happened.

Armed with guns, knives and machetes, a masked gang burst in on the group as they sat down for dinner in their hotel, held knives to their throats and guns to the temples in a 45-minute ordeal. The guests were stripped of rings, passports, bags and cameras before the gang took their room keys.

Alan and Jenny Parry, both 58 and from Bedford, lost £1,700 worth of clothes, watches and other items. But a furious Mr Parry accused the British consulate in Quito of being unhelpful and local authorities of trying to hush up the incident.

"Nobody from the British Consulate has visited us. The Ecuadorian police were also very slow. There has been total indifference and I am not convinced the government are trying to do anything to catch the gang."

But since Times Online reported the attack, the tourists involved were invited to a high-level meeting in Quito with senior government officials worried about the effect of the attack on tourism to Ecuador.

Dominic Hamilton of the Quito Visitors’ Bureau said: "There was a meeting on Wednesday evening in the Ministry. The hope is to have added police officers and patrols in place along the road to Mindo and in the town itself either this weekend or starting on Monday.

"The National Police also stated that they would begin an education campaign regarding security with the lodges and small hotels (which number 70) in the Mindo area as soon as possible."

The British Embassy also attended the meeting on Wednesday, along with the Minister of Tourism, Verónica Sion. Other ministeries were involved, as well as the police and tourism bodies.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Tourism said later: "They had a constructive meeting with the travellers who aired their concerns.

"The Minister of Tourism expressed her concern and hoped that the police investigations underway would provide results, and that she would personally be following the case closely. She told the tourists that cases such as these were extremely rare in Ecuador, but that the Ministry is taking the events very seriously.

"Ecuador is aware of the importance of safety and security to the tourism industry. As a country with a growing tourist sector, renowned for the warm welcome of its citizens and the comparative safety of its tourist attractions, events such as these are shocking to all those involved.

"The Ecuadorian authorities would like to assure international travellers that the government has taken note of this incident. The authorities will be holding meetings in the coming days to put in place plans to improve the safety of travellers throughout the country."

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