Temporary closings/Delays

Nepal: Residents to Block Tourists from Upper Mustang near Tibet

Date: September 1st, 2010 |

Residents of the former kingdom of Mustang on the border with Tibet vowed to ban tourists beginning Oct. 1 to protest broken promises by the government. Upper Mustang opened to tourists only in 1992 and visitors are required to pay $500 for a pass to enter the region. The locals said the government promised to [read more]

Peru: Full Train Service to Resume to Machu Picchu

Date: June 23rd, 2010 |

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Full train service to Machu Picchu will be restored July 1, finally putting the system back in complete operation after heavy rains and landslides washed away the tracks and stranded thousands in January. Access to the famed Inca site was restored in March but much of the journey had to be made by bus. Soon [read more]

Japan: Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market to Reopen to Tourists, Limit Numbers

Date: May 5th, 2010 |

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Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji fish market will be reopened to tourists May 10 after periodic closures because of tourists’ misbehavior. The latest closure began April 8 after some 500 visitors disrupted the auction. Officials will restrict the number of visitors to 140 a day, handing out numbered tickets on a first-come, first-served basis when the market [read more]

Guatemala: Bus Drivers Strike, Demand Better Security, Subsidies

Date: March 24th, 2010 |

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A nationwide bus drivers’ strike shut down transit throughout the country and blocked highways into Guatemala City March 22. Security forces removed buses that were blocking the roads but more than 37,000 intercity drivers vowed to continue the strike until the government met their demands for more security and a share in subsidies granted to [read more]

Finland and Sweden: Baltic Sea Ice Grabs Vessels, Disrupts Ferry Service

Date: March 10th, 2010 |

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Some 50 vessels were trapped by ice in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Sweden March 4, including passenger ferries carrying more than 1,000 people. All vessels were rescued by ice breakers, but maritime authorities advised shipping companies to avoid the icy patches north of the Stockholm Archipelago. Freezing winds blew ice caps near the [read more]

Greece: More Strikes Make Life Miserable for Greeks, Travelers

Date: July 28th, 2010 |

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More strikes disrupted life and travel across Greece when both air traffic controllers and truckers walked off the job, delaying hundreds of flights and creating gasoline shortages around the country. Air traffic controllers returned to work July 27 and withdrew plans to strike July 31 to give the government time to address their concerns. Truckers [read more]

Canada: G20 Summit Will Bring Congestion to Toronto

Date: June 16th, 2010 |

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The G20 Summit will take place in Toronto June 26-27 and tightened security will make moving around downtown difficult. Street closures will be enforced in the core area around Metro Convention Center on Front Street and police will have the authority to close roads and highways with 15 minutes’ notice. Travel to and from the [read more]

Peru: Machu Picchu and Cuzco Rail Link Reopens

Date: April 7th, 2010 |

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After being closed for more than two months because heavy rains and landslides washed out railway access, the famous Inca site of Machu Picchu and its rail link to Cuzco reopened April 1. The opening could not have come too soon for the tourism industry, which relies heavily on Machu Picchu as a draw. The [read more]

Australia: Fraser Island Campers Harass Dingoes, Dingoes Bite, Campsites Close

Date: March 17th, 2010 |

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After three campers were bitten by dingoes in recent weeks on Queensland’s Fraser Island, rangers closed two campgrounds in an effort to keep people and wildlife separated. The task is complicated by too many campers’ willful ignorance of laws to leave the animals alone: encounters like these usually occur because the campers harass the dingoes. [read more]

Tanzania: Zanzibar Power Blackout Ends after 3 Months

Date: March 10th, 2010 |

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After three months without electrical power, the archipelago of Zanzibar finally got its supply restored so hotels, restaurants, factories and other businesses are able to operate again without running generators. The lights went off Dec. 10 when the undersea cable that brings power from the mainland failed. Local authorities are hoping that this repair will [read more]