Political updates

St. Lucia: Norwegian Cruise Lines Still Undecided About Cruises to St. Lucia

Date: February 10th, 2010 |

World Travel Watch reported last week that Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) had removed St. Lucia from its cruise itineraries in the 2011-12 season, but that is not the case. St. Lucia officials and NCL had discussions about including St. Lucia on those itineraries, but no decision was made. NCL expects to announce its 2011-12 itineraries [read more]

India: Goa to Create Tourist Security Force in Wake of Sexual Assaults

Date: February 3rd, 2010 |

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Goa’s state government is creating a special tourist security force made up of ex-servicemen to protect tourists following a series of attacks on foreign women. The most recent incident was the alleged rape of a nine-year-old Russian girl on Jan. 26. The 60-odd guards will be stationed on popular beaches that are currently patrolled by [read more]

Canada: Special Expedited Courts to Serve Olympics Tourists

Date: January 27th, 2010 |

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British Columbia authorities have put in place an Olympics expedited court to handle prosecution of minor crimes that occur during the Olympic Games. The temporary court system’s purpose is to resolve all minor crimes within two weeks in the hope that international visitors will not have to remain in Canada longer than they had planned [read more]

China: Let’s Text Again, Like We Did Last Summer: China Lifts Messaging Ban in Xinjiang

Date: January 20th, 2010 |

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Authorities restored text messaging in Xinjiang province Jan. 17 more than six months after shutting it down during riots in the provincial capital of Urumqi. Restrictions still apply, however: text messages cannot be sent outside China, and individuals can send no more than 20 messages a day. Cell phone use is also restricted, with roaming [read more]

China: Government Lifting Restrictions on Internet Access, Text Messages, Phone Calls

Date: December 30th, 2009 |

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Authorities are easing restrictions on internet access, text messaging and international phone calls in Xinjiang province after isolating the region during and after ethnic unrest in July. The lifting of the communications shutdown began Dec. 28 and will continue gradually, starting first with opening parts of the web sites for the official Xinhua news agency [read more]

Thailand: Ruling on Thaksin Fortune May Prompt Protests, Instability

Date: February 10th, 2010 |

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The Thai Supreme Court will rule Feb. 26 on whether the $2.2 billion fortune of disgraced former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra can be seized by authorities. The money, frozen after he was deposed in 2006, is believed to have been obtained largely through corruption. But he still has hundreds of thousands of “Red Shirt” supporters [read more]

St. Lucia: Officials to Increase Safety for Tourists, Engage Marginalized Communities

Date: February 3rd, 2010 |

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Tourism officials vowed to increase safety for tourists following a decision by Norwegian Cruise Lines to remove the island from its itineraries in the 2011-2012 season. The company dropped St. Lucia because of three attacks on cruise passengers in 2009. Tourism officials will work with police to reduce crime, including launching a public awareness campaign [read more]

Philippines: Travel Alert for Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago

Date: January 27th, 2010 |

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The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert Jan. 20 warning of the risks of travel to the central and western portions of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, in particular the provinces of Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat, and the city of Cotabato. These three areas are covered by a state of emergency that includes police [read more]

Australia: Uluru to Remain Open to Climbers

Date: January 13th, 2010 |

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The Australian government decided not to ban climbing Uluru, or Ayers Rock, as had been recommended last year by the board of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. A new management plan left open the possibility of closing the rock in the future if certain conditions arose, including developing other attractions for visitors in the area or [read more]

Russia and Georgia: Agreement to Reopen Border Crossing Marks Political Thaw

Date: December 30th, 2009 |

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These two countries that fought a brief war in August 2008 have agreed to reopen a border crossing that has been closed for three years. The Verkhny Lars crossing is on the only highway between the two countries that does not go through the breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, where most of the [read more]