Santa Elena
Youngest province (2007) built on beach tourism: Salinas/Montañita generate $12M/season from 80K tourists. 2024 gang violence tested tourism resilience. By 2026, security normalization determines whether eco-tourism expansion succeeds.
Ecuador's youngest province (2007, carved from Guayas) built identity on beaches rather than agriculture—Salinas, Montañita, and Ayangue generate $12M per season from 80,000 tourists. This sun-sea-sand model represents Ecuador's attempt to diversify beyond commodity exports into service-sector tourism.
History left diverse foundations. The 1914 oil well near Santa Elena was Ecuador's first; Anglo Ecuadorian Oilfields operated from the 1920s. The refinery still exists. Fishing ports (Santa Rosa, San Pedro, Chanduy) supply domestic seafood demand. Salt production and agriculture (sugarcane, peanuts) fill economic gaps. The province demonstrates what coastal Ecuador looks like after petroleum's initial boom faded.
The 2024 security crisis tested beach tourism resilience. Gang violence in other provinces deterred international visitors; domestic tourism partially compensated but at lower spending levels. The bohemian appeal of Montañita—backpacker culture, surf breaks, affordable nightlife—depends on perceived safety that Ecuador's internal armed conflict status undermined.
2026 trajectory: Tourism recovery requires security normalization. The province competes with Colombia's Caribbean coast and Peru's northern beaches for regional visitors. Eco-tourism expansion (dry tropical forests, whale watching) offers differentiation. Santa Elena bets that sun-and-sand tourism can outgrow extractive origins.