January 25th, 2012
Bahrain: Travel Alert about Violent Demonstrations
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis |
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The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert about the ongoing possibility for violent demonstrations throughout Bahrain. In recent months, all travelers have faced increased scrutiny trying to get into the country and Bahraini officials have denied entry to some U.S. citizens. Traveling within the country can become dangerous without notice, as clashes between security forces and demonstrators has often resulted in the use of tear gas, stun grenades and other forms of crowd control.
January 25th, 2012
China: Bird Flu Claims Two Victims in a Month
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
Following multiple deaths in Vietnam and Cambodia, China has reported its second bird flu death in a month. While the flu was highly pathogenic, it was not confirmed to be the infamous H5N1 strain. The most recent victim was a 39-year-old male who reportedly had no contact with poultry. The World Health Organization says that there have been 343 human deaths from bird flu since 2003, with 27 of those deaths happening in China and 60 in Vietnam.
January 25th, 2012
Egypt: 31-year-old Emergency Laws Lifted in some Cases
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
In a manner of speaking, military rulers have lifted the 31-year-old emergency laws that gave police far-reaching powers. The emergency powers can still be used to combat crimes committed by “thugs,” a term that the military failed to define. Rights groups and pro-democracy activists in the country have already voiced disdain for the declaration’s ambiguity. Though Egypt recently held its first freely-elected meeting of parliament in 60 years, tensions on the streets between activists, the military and religious figures remain high. Demonstrations are still prone to turn violent, and old sectarian rivalries are beginning to resurface.
January 25th, 2012
Mexico: Violence Spreading
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
Drug violence that has largely been contained to the border regions is beginning to spread to places once thought safe from the infamous carnage. Two weeks ago, a pair of headless bodies were found in a burning minivan in front of one of Mexico City’s largest and most expensive shopping malls. Guadalajara and Veracruz—thought safe just 6 months ago—have been hit more recently by waves of brutality. Veracruz dismissed the entire police force after authorities found that corruption was too high for the force to effectively patrol the city. As the violence spreads, many wonder about the government’s assertions that it is getting the upper hand in combating the powerful drug cartels.
January 25th, 2012
Worldwide: Guests Advised to Purchase Trip Insurance
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
January is one of the busier months for cruise enthusiasts, but this season travel agents have been fielding more questions regarding safety and liability in light of the recent Costa Concordia tragedy. Statistically speaking, cruising is one of the safest forms of travel, but cruise lines take no chances in terms of liability. Under most guest ticket contracts, the guest acknowledges that the cruise line is not an insurer of safety, or in other words, the cruise line is not responsible for most catastrophes, even if it is the cruise line’s fault. Travel agents advise guests to purchase trip insurance in the face of zero-liability contracts.
January 11th, 2012
Austria: Unusually High Amount of Snow Isolates Parts of Country
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
High winds and heavy snowfall left many parts of the country isolated Jan. 7. The unusual amount of snow closed a major railway route in the western part of the country near Innsbruck, cutting off some villages and major tourist resorts. In some areas, more than four feet of snow fell Jan. 5-7, leaving the possibility for avalanches extremely high in certain areas. On Jan. 7, about 15,000 people were snowed in at ski resorts on the Arlberg mountain. Though the roads on the mountain have since been reopened, the Austrian army put several helicopters on high alert in case of emergency.
January 11th, 2012
Brazil: Torrential Rain Kills Many, Leaves More Stranded
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
Heavy rain killed at least 28 people and left thousands more stranded throughout Southeastern Brazil. The rain caused deadly mudslides, which in turn damaged infrastructure and continues to make the region dangerous. Brazil’s rainy season corresponds with its summer, which begins in December and frequently brings devastation to regions around waterways and on hillsides, making travel difficult and in many cases impossible. The states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais were hit hard.
January 11th, 2012
Chile: Forest Fires Burn up Season of Adventure Tourism
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
The U.S. State Department issued another travel alert regarding the ongoing forest fires in Chile. This alert updates the Dec. 30 notice, and singles out the following high-concern areas: the 12th Region Magallanes, location of the Torres del Paine National Park, the 7th Region Maule and the 8th Region Bio Bio. January is Chile’s peak summer tourist season, and many will no doubt be turned away from affected areas that are renowned for their wealth of outdoor sports and adventure tourism attractions. Torres del Paine National Park is one of the areas hardest hit; authorities closed the park entirely Dec. 30, then reopened portions of it Jan. 4.
January 11th, 2012
China: Spring Festival Travel to Test Transportation Capabilities
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
The Spring Festival travel rush is considered the world’s largest annual human migration. The festival, which begins Sunday and runs through Feb. 16, is expected to tax the country’s transportation system—a system recently plagued by a series of notable train accidents. Many of the Chinese are rushing home ahead of the fast-approaching Lunar New Year, and it is expected that some 3.2 billion passenger trips will be taken during the festival period in total.
January 11th, 2012
Philippines: Government says Country Safe for Tourists
By Larry Habegger and Andrew Davis | Add a Comment »
Despite a recent travel warning from the U.S. State Department, the Philippine government insists that the country is safe for tourists. In fact, the travel warning was released on the same day that the Philippine Department of Tourism revealed its new slogan: “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that while tourists should generally exercise caution while traveling, the Philippines is a generally safe place to visit. Most of the recent trouble has happened in the southern parts of the country, where Islamic militants have been waging a campaign of violence on and off for decades.
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