Caribbean

Cayman Islands: Wild Stingrays are Adapting to Tourists’ Handouts

Date: March 19th, 2013 |

Feeding the wild sting rays has become a popular attraction on Grand Cayman, and not just with tourists. A recent study of the free-swimming rays at “Stingray City,” a cluster of shallow sandbars on the island’s north side, showed that most of the rays in the area had reversed their natural, nocturnal feeding behaviors to [read more]

Caribbean: Cash-Strapped Islands Offer Citizenship Bargains

Date: February 13th, 2013 |

No Comments

For travelers interested in a second passport or a resident visa in another country, cash-strapped islands such as Dominica or St. Kitts may offer the best bargains. In Dominica, for example, a foreigner can qualify for citizenship by investing $100,000 cash, while $250,000 will get you started in St. Kitts. Many other nations offer “investor [read more]

Cuba: New Cholera Outbreak Confirmed

Date: January 20th, 2013 |

No Comments

Health officials in Havana have confirmed a new outbreak of cholera and are taking rigorous measures to contain it. Transmitted through contaminated water and food, cholera causes severe vomiting and diarrhea, and can kill within hours if left untreated. So far, 51 cases of the highly infectious disease have been identified, all traced to a [read more]

Haiti: Poor Infrastructure Complicates Travel Risks

Date: January 2nd, 2013 |

No Comments

The U.S. Dept. of State has issued an updated travel warning for Haiti, citing issues such as violent crime, severe weather, cholera outbreaks and infrastructure that is “unable to fully support even normal activity, much less crisis situations.” As Haiti cannot provide adequate security, medical facilities or emergency response systems, those who visit are urged [read more]

Haiti: String of Armed Robberies Prompts Embassy Warning

Date: September 12th, 2012 |

No Comments

A rash of armed robberies in the Tabarre section of Port-au-Prince, location of the U.S. Embassy, has prompted the embassy to issue a warning to U.S. citizens. In the last two months, at least 10 robberies in the area followed a similar pattern: motorcycle thieves trailed customers leaving their banks and robbed them at gunpoint. [read more]

Haiti: Embassy Warns of Volatile Demonstrations in Port-au-Prince

Date: March 13th, 2013 |

No Comments

Ongoing demonstrations in downtown Port-au-Prince have turned violent, prompting the U.S. Embassy to issue a warning to travelers to avoid the area around Rue Capois. Protestors at the scene have clashed with national police and have been seen throwing rocks at passing vehicles. Visitors to Port-au-Prince should remain alert to their surroundings at all times [read more]

Puerto Rico: Medical Tourism on the Rise

Date: February 6th, 2013 |

No Comments

Thanks to its proximity to the U.S. and safe reputation, Puerto Rico is moving quickly up the hot list of “medical tourism” destinations. Patients from the U.S. can save 60 to 80 percent on medical costs, and since it is a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico’s doctors and medical facilities are held to the same licensing [read more]

Haiti: Government Refutes U.S. Travel Warning

Date: January 20th, 2013 |

No Comments

Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe objected to an updated travel warning, issued by the U.S. State Dept. Dec. 28, that cited problems such as violent crime, cholera outbreaks and lack of infrastructure—particularly medical and emergency services. Calling the warning unfair, Lamothe said it singled out Haiti at a time when the island nation is trying to [read more]

Cuba: “People-to-People” Travel Program Back on Track

Date: November 14th, 2012 |

No Comments

Travelers hoping to visit Cuba will be happy to hear that the groundbreaking “people-to-people” program, which allows tourist visas through approved cultural exchange tours, appears to be back on track for 2013. Launched in 2011 after 50 years of embargo, the popular program hit a snag this past summer when the U.S. Treasury Office of [read more]

Cuba: U.S. Travel Restrictions Eased, But Permits Hard to Come By

Date: August 28th, 2012 |

No Comments

After five decades of embargo that restricted travel to Cuba, the U.S. government loosened its grip in 2011 with the “people-to-people” program, designed to promote meaningful cultural exchange between the two countries. Obtaining a visa, however, may still prove difficult for U.S. citizens. Hundreds of travel service providers applied for tour permits in 2012, yet [read more]

Travel the World

More WTW

Monthly Archives