For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Uganda Tourism Chief: Kidnapped American tourist is safe – rescue completed

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An excited Lily Ajarova, CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board told eTurboNews late afternoon she had very good news. ” The rescue of the kidnapped American Tourist and her driver is completed. Both captives are back in safe hand.”, was her WhatsApp message.

This is not only very good news for the American visitor and her family, but also for the credibility of Ugandan authorities and the Uganda travel and tourism industry.

Ugandan elite forces freed an American touristKim Sue Endicott of Southern California and her tour guide, Congolese national Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo, were freed in a negotiated handover, officials said.

Apparently, Ugandan authority negotiated the handover in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where both victims were found. Kidnappers had demanded $500,000 and the FBI was actively involved.

According to unconfirmed reports both victims are back in Uganda at Queen Elizabeth National Park

More details expected to come

Travel News | eTurboNews

FBI involved in US tourist kidnapping in Uganda

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An American tourist and her Ugandan driver were kidnapped at gunpoint in Uganda’s most known National Park Queen Elizabeth National Park on Tuesday.

“We will leave no stone unturned until the situation is corrected”, are the words of Uganda Tourism Minister Godfrey Kiwanda standing on the point the tourist was kidnapped close to the border to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

An elite army unit is searching the area, the border to Congo is closed and the FBI is actively part of the negotiations with the kidnappers demanding US$ 500,000.00

In the meantime, the investigation is at a critical stage 5 days into the obduction.

Travel News | eTurboNews

African Game Rangers: Key conservation tourism partners in stress

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Wildlife is the leading tourist attraction and source of tourist revenue in Africa other than rich historical and cultural heritage the continent has been endowed with.

Wildlife photographic safaris attract millions of tourists from Europe, America and Asia to visit this continent to spend their holidays in wildlife protected areas.

Despite its rich wildlife resources, Africa is still facing poaching problems which had so far, frustrated conservation of wildlife despite the efforts on place to arrest the situation. African governments in collaboration with global wildlife and nature conservation organizations are now working together to save the African wildlife from extinction, mostly the endangered species.

Wildlife rangers in Africa are the number one conservation partners who had committed their lives to protect the wild creatures from human miseries, but working at risk from humans and the wild animals which they had committed to protect.

The rangers are facing numerous psychological pressures leading to potentially serious mental health implications. They are frequently subjected to violent confrontations inside and outside their work.

Many rangers see their families as little as once a year, causing immense stress to personal relationships and the mental strain.

In Tanzania, for example, a community leader was killed by a suspected poacher in an attempt to prevent poaching in the Tarangire National Park, the famous wildlife tourist park in northern Tanzania.

The village leader Mr. Faustine Sanka had his head cut off by a suspected poacher who, disastrously ended the life of the community leader near the park in February this year.

Police said that the brutal killing of the village chairman, Mr. Faustine Sanka was done just to frustrate anti-poaching in Tarangire National Park which is rich in elephants and other big African mammals.

The suspected poachers killed the village leader by cutting off his head using a sharp instrument. After killing him, his body was wrapped in a plastic bag and his motorbike he was riding was left there, police officers said.

Early in April last year, suspected member of an armed militia gunned down five wildlife rangers and the driver in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It was the worst attack in Virunga’s bloody history, and the latest in a long line of tragic incidents in which rangers have lost their lives defending the planet’s natural heritage, conservation media reports said.

Despite a growing awareness of the vulnerability of many of the world’s most beloved and charismatic species such as elephants and rhinos, there is little awareness and virtually no research into the stress and possible mental health implications for those tasked with defending them, conservationists said.

“We have got to take care of the people that make a difference,” said Johan Jooste, head of anti-poaching forces at South Africa National Parks (SANParks).

In real fact, more research has been conducted on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among elephants following a poaching incident than on the rangers protecting them as well.

Wildlife conservation experts further said that 82 percent of rangers in Africa had faced a life-threatening situation in the line of duty.

They described challenging working conditions, community ostracism, isolation from family, poor equipment and inadequate training for many ranger, low pay and little respect as other life threats facing African rangers.

The Thin Greenline Foundation, a Melbourne-based organization dedicated to supporting rangers, has been compiling data on ranger deaths on the job for the last 10 years.

Between 50 and 70 percent of the recorded wildlife ranger deaths in Africa and other wildlife rich continents are carried by poachers. The rest percent of such deaths are due to the challenging conditions rangers face every day, such as working alongside dangerous animals and in perilous environments.

“I can categorically tell you about the 100 to 120 ranger deaths we know of each year,” said Sean Willmore, founder of the Thin Green Line Foundation and president of the International Ranger Federation, a non-profit organization overseeing 90 ranger associations worldwide.

Willmore believes that the true global figure could be much higher, since the organization lacks data from a number of countries in Asia and the Middle East.

Rangers in Tanzania and rest of East Africa are facing the same, life threatening situations while on duty in protecting the wildlife, mostly in national parks, game reserves and forest conserved areas.

Selous Game Reserve, Africa’s largest wildlife protected area has not been spared from such ugly incidents facing the rangers. They work in harsh conditions, traversing hundreds of kilometers on patrol to protect the wildlife, mostly elephants.

Full with stress and psychological problems, the rangers conduct their duties with full commitment to ensure the survival of wildlife in Tanzania and Africa.

In Selous Game Reserve, rangers live far away from their families; succumb to life risks including attacks by wildlife and poachers from neighboring villages, mostly those killing the wild animals for bush meat.

Communities neighboring this park (Selous) have no other source of protein more than bush meat. There is no livestock, poultry and fishing in this part of Africa, a situation which drives villagers to hunt for bush meat.

Rangers in this park as well, suffer from psychological stress from work. Most of them have left their families in towns or other localities in Tanzania to protect the wildlife in the Selous Game Reserve.

“We have our children living alone. I don’t know if my children are doing well in school or not. Sometimes we don’t communicate with our families far away taking into account that no communication services available in this area”, a ranger told eTN.

Mobile phone communication, now the leading source of inter-personal contact in Tanzania, is no longer available in some areas of the Selous Game Reserve due to geographical locations.

“Every everyone is like an enemy here. Local communities are looking for game meat, poachers are looking for trophies for business, the government is looking for revenue, tourists are looking for protection against robbers and all like that. This burden is our backs,” the ranger told eTN.

Politicians and wildlife managers are driving posh cars in big cities enjoying high class lifestyles, banking on hardships the rangers are currently facing.

Travel News | eTurboNews

D.R. Congo: African Tourism Board is a place to be according World Heritage Kahuzi-Biega National Park

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The African Tourism Board welcomes Kahuzi Biega National Park as a new member. The Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a protected area near Bukavu town in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is situated near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border.

“The African Tourism Board is a place to be, we have been undercover for long. When you search for Congo tourism, all you hear is information about Virunga or news about poacher. We want to make a difference. Let’s unite our efforts to promote the African tourism industry.”

These are the word by De Dieu Bya’Ombe, director of the Kahuzi Biega National Park.

He explains on his membership information:

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is home to more species of mammals than Any Other Site Albertine Rift. It is the second major MOST website in the area for Both endemic species and in terms of species richness. The park HAS 136 species of mammals, Including the eastern lowland gorilla is the star and 13 other primates like chimpanzees Including endangered species, red colobus monkey, and monkeys L’Hoest and Hamlyn.

• Other extremely uncommon species of the forests of eastern DRC are present aussi Such As the giant genet ( Genetta victoriae ) and aquatic genet ( Genetta piscivora ). Characteristic mammals of the central African forests aussi live in the park as the forest elephant, forest buffalo, giant forest hog and the bongo.

• The KBNP Is located in significant year endemism zone (Endemic Bird Area) for birds APPROBATION by Birdlife International. The Wildlife Conservation Society HAS compiled a list of birds to the park in 2003 with 349 species Including 42 endemic.
• Similarly, the park aussi Was Recognized As a diversity center for plants by IUCN and WWF in 1994 with at least 1,178 species listed in the high altitude area, the lower portion still remaining in inventory.

• The park is one of The Few sub-Saharan African websites Where flora and fauna transition from low to high altitude is observable. It included courses, in fact, all of the forest vegetation from 600 m to more than 2600 m, bass Moist Forest and medium altitude forest sub mountain up montane forest and bamboo. Above 2600 m to the top of Kahuzi Biega and mountains, Has Developed montane vegetation heather harboring endemic plant Senecio kahuzicus.

• The park houses aussi Generally, not Widespread vegetation Such As swamps and altitude bogs and swamp forests and riparian areas are waterlogged at all altitudes.
Due to all above specificities of the Kahuzi – Biega national park, we are looking forwards to develop eco-tourism activities and sustainable conservancy concept which are going to inspire the next generation.

Kahuzi Biega is a world heritage site created in 1970 for the main purpose of protecting low land gorillas. Kahuzi-Biega National Park is divided into two zones connected by a narrow corridor: Rainforest Mountain (Afro-montane forest gold) on one hand, and the lowland rainforest (Guinea-Congo Relatively wet) on the other hand.

It is a scarce African region where the transition entre thesis two kinds of rain forests remained largely intact. So far, over 1178 plant species have been recorded at high altitude, making it the third Albertine Rift website in terms of species richness partner after the Virunga National Park in DRC and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. For cons, the lowland flora is still little known. The inventory of species endemic to the Kahuzi-Biega National Park is far from full, and we Even Discovered Many new species Belonging Mainly to the families of Balsam Orchidaceae & Purple Spurge, Araliaceae, Anacardiaceae, and many others families with one Particular species ( Fischer, 1995).

Conservation targets are the wildlife and communities at risk, and critical habitats and declining to protect. The subsidiary or auxiliary targets are a more detailed level of the target to which they are attached (parts of habitat, landscapes, media, etc.). The term key ecological attributes of the main natural characteristics of species, populations or ecosystems developed over time or as a result of natural disturbances and allow maintaining the range of conditions under which species are adapted. Furthermore, the exceptional forest cover KBNP an important carbon sink to contribute to the fight against climate change.

Talking about tourism, we offer gorilla trekking as our main attraction. Hiking, mountain accession and birds watching are complementary to the main attraction. We are proudly the only site where visitors can trek low land gorillas in the wild. We put our efforts to maintain all our tourism activities sustainable and ecological.

More information: www.kahuzibiega.org

More information on African Tourism Board:www.africantourismboard.com

Travel News | eTurboNews

UNESCO, African Union and Ethiopia Role Model on World Press Freedom?

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Ethiopian Airlines, has been chosen as the Official Carrier for the 2019 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference to be held in Addis Ababa from May 1-3, 2019.

This conference is not without controversy, however.  According to Journalists without Border, terrorism charges have been systematically used against journalists ever since the 2009 terrorism law took effect. The charges carry long jail sentences and allow the authorities to hold journalists without trial for extended periods. There has been no significant improvement since the purges that led to the closure of six newspapers in 2014 and drove around 30 journalists into exile. On the contrary, another six-month state of emergency was proclaimed in February 2018, which the government could again use to arrest critical journalists and ban the public from watching or listening to certain broadcast media. The Internet and social networks are often disconnected while physical and verbal threats, arbitrary trials, and convictions are all used to silence the media.

The conference is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union and the Government of Ethiopia under the theme ‘Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation’.

UNESCO Spokesperson Roni Amerlan said: ” The offer by countries to host World Press Freedom Day marks their recognition of the value of the right to press freedom and freedom of expression.

We have often held World Press Freedom Day celebrations in countries in transition and we do not think that we should restrict our support for the recognition of press freedom and their participation in this awareness-raising event to countries which rank at the top of NGOs’ rankings.

Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration(link is external) on media pluralism and independence.

At the core of UNESCO’s mandate is freedom of the press and freedom of expression. UNESCO believes that these freedoms allow for mutual understanding to build a sustainable peace.

It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

It is a date to encourage and develop initiatives in favour of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.

3 May acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story.

The 26th celebration of World Press Freedom Day is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union Commission and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The main event will take place in Addis Ababa, on 1 – 3 May at the African Union Headquarters. This year’s theme“Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”  discusses current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.

World Press Freedom Day will also be celebrated worldwide. Events will be organized in several countries to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom and journalists’  safety. More information of events will be available in the Events Map soon.

As the United Nations agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, UNESCO works to foster a free, independent and pluralistic media and the safety of journalists.

As the official carrier, Ethiopian will provide air transport service to the 1000-1500 participants who will be coming to Addis Ababa from around the globe.

Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked, “We are honored to have been chosen to serve as the official carrier for this year’s World Press Freedom Day Global Conference. We are all the more delighted to be part of this noble cause which seeks to advance press freedom around the world.

Global, regional and national media stakeholders, high-level government officials, and journalists from across the globe will take part in the conference which will be held at the African Union Commission headquarters.

https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldpressfreedomday

 

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U.S. Travel Targets ad campaigns at top policymakers

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The U.S. Travel Association continues to put a huge premium on creative engagement with political leaders to ensure key industry priorities are top of mind for lawmakers even when they are outside the halls of the Capitol or the White House.

The organization has launched a multifaceted campaign promoting the economic benefits of travel, beginning with a four-story billboard in the outfield at Nationals Park installed for Opening Day. Its message highlights the importance of international inbound travel to the United States, and it will be up for the duration of the 2019 season.

During 2019, U.S. Travel ads will be seen in other key platforms and locations. From June 3 into the presidential election year, a billboard advertisement on Southern Boulevard in Palm Beach County, Florida will feature a variety of pro-travel messages. These ads are strategically located at the main access point from Palm Beach International Airport to Palm Beach Island—the location of Mar-a-Lago resort.

“We have a potent message—that travel is a key economic driver, jobs creator, and positive contributor to the U.S. trade balance—and we want leaders to be thinking about it even when they’re not at the office,” said U.S. Travel Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Barnes.

U.S. Travel also ran a digital billboard during the Honda Classic in Palm Beach County at the end of February, and a week-long “geo-fence” social media campaign earlier in March targeting the area around Mar-a-Lago at the time of one of the president’s many visits. These ads emphasized the economic importance of international inbound travel to the United States.

The association is examining future ad opportunities at key sites associated with the 2020 election cycle, including pivotal primary states and convention and debate sites.

This is not the first time U.S. Travel has deployed advertising in strategic locations to support its federal policy objectives and elevate awareness of travel’s contributions to U.S. jobs and the economy.

During the 2016 election season, U.S. Travel released analysis and statistics in key primary states about the economic impact of campaign travel in their states. U.S. Travel targeted attendees of both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions with economic impact statistics, advertisements at airports and on trains used to access the sites, and sponsored items at POLITICO Hubs.

The association also placed a campaign at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, timed for the final debate between presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

U.S. Travel ran ads in Reagan Washington National Airport immediately following the 2016 elections to tout the association’s pro-connectivity, pro-growth, pro-traveler policy priorities—with the express intention that they be seen by members of the new administration and Congress arriving in the nation’s capital.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Aloha is not “Aloooooha”: Stop visitors from offending Hawaiians

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Do not say ALOHA or better ALOOOOOHA when visiting Hawaii.

“Those of you particularly in the tourist industry and in entertainment, stop saying “ALOOOOOOOHA”.  There is no such word and as the Hawaiian Queen said herself, they have stolen the country, and now they want to redo our language. Stop it. Just stop, It’s Aloha, not Alooooooha.”, said Adam Keawe Manalo- Camp, a native Hawaiian resident on Oahu.

Hawaii visitors and the travel and tourism industry together with the entertainment world is making Hawaiians very angry. Hawaiians think the largest industry in the State of Hawaii misusing the word “Alooooha” is disrespecting them and their rich ancient culture.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority should better educate stakeholders and visitors on cultural concerns native Hawaiian people raise. HTA must put an increased effort in on managing tourism and not just look at increasing arrival numbers. Increasing arrival numbers may not be a good indicator for a healthy tourism industry anymore.

With mass tourism and thousands of visitors arriving and leaving the US Pacific State every single day, it appears a boiling point is on the horizon. There may be is an urgent and immediate need to keep this industry safe and profitable. The largest industry in the State of Hawaii is seen as a business of invasion and disrespect by many.

Are you planning to travel to Hawaii? Are you operating a tourist attraction in the “Aloha State?” Overtourism comes with great concerns, and a massive number of people on Waikiki’s sidewalks, restaurants, hotels, and shopping malls, and beaches are a good indication there is a limit to tourism.  Has this limit been reached? Native Hawaiians are even more concerned. They are worried the travel and tourism industry is overwriting their rich Hawaiian Culture. For them shouting out “Alooooha” is a good indication.

A recent discussion on the eTurboNews Publishers Facebook points out such concerns.

Derek Hiapo told eTN: “To use the HAWAIIAN word “ALOHA” I need to make something VERY CLEAR!!  HAWAIIANS AND THE USE OF OUR LANGUAGE have been taken over by people who have NEVER known the true meaning of the word. For us kanaka maoli, we have had EVERYTHING stolen from us by people who are intent on raping us of EVERYTHING WE HAVE!!! The meaning of aloha cannot be lived or practiced, when what people have learned about the word “aloha” was taught to them at the usual tourist luau with someone onstage screaming the word and giving some halfwitted story about what that word means.

THERE’S WAY MORE MEANING TO THE WORD ALOHA AND THE PRACTICE OF LIVING ALOHA!!! You ask where is the aloha?? Being chased off of, and away from, it’s native homeland!! Where is the aloha?? In the bank accounts and pockets of all who’ve come to Hawaii to make their money at the cost of us kanaka maoli!! Where is the aloha?? In the twisted history being taught to the world that says that Hawaii was “saved” by America and not being told the TRUTH behind the theft of our internationally recognized sovereign kingdom. People want us to show ALOHA, but all we’ve been shown is disrespect, poverty, death, and the bastardization of our culture for the benefit of the illegal foreign occupier.”

Adam added this story:

“A long time ago, there lived a Hawaiian family. They worked the land for generations. Then one day there appeared a stranger. He was a haole guy (caucasion guy) who got lost and stumbled upon the Hawaiian family.

They told him where to go back but they invited him to stay with them as he seemed to have a cold. He lived with them for a week and they took care of his needs. He eventually left.
Then soon afterward, the family got sick and only the mother was left. The man returned and brought his Japanese friend. They stayed in the Hawaiian family’s house. The Hawaiian mother took care of them as she was still in mourning. The haole guy and the Japanese guy decided that it would be great if others could experience her hospitality and “the culture”.

They devised plans and started a tour business. When the Hawaiian woman began to complain as she now was being forced to work under them in her own land, they asked her, “Where was your Aloha Spirit? Don’t be such an angry Kanaka” She then began to be quiet. Then more of her time and food was being given to the strangers. She then complained again.

This time the haole guy said “Okay let’s be fair and democratic about this. Let’s vote. ” The haole and Japanese guys voted to keep the Hawaiian woman as their employee while taking over her family’s lands. And that, in a nutshell, is what is happening in Hawai’i.”

Aloha is not only a magical word for Hawaii but was stolen further by destinations like Hainan, China. The Chinese destination is fully banking and integrating on the magic this word had for many and is further offending native people in Hawaii.

The overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii began on January 17, 1893, with a coup d’état against Queen Liliʻuokalani on the island of Oahu by subjects of the Kingdom of Hawaii, United States citizens, and foreign residents residing in Honolulu.

Read what the Queen said in 1907:

The Hawaiian Queen comment on the word ALOOOOHA

Wikipedia posted: Liliʻuokalani was born on September 2, 1838, in Honolulu, on the island of Oʻahu. While her natural parents were Analea Keohokālole and Caesar Kapaʻakea, she was hānai (informally adopted) at birth by Abner Pākī and Laura Kōnia and raised with their daughter Bernice Pauahi Bishop. Baptized as a Christian and educated at the Royal School, she and her siblings and cousins were proclaimed eligible for the throne by King Kamehameha III. She was married to American-born John Owen Dominis, who later became the Governor of Oʻahu. The couple had no biological children but adopted several. After the accession of her brother David Kalākaua to the throne in 1874, she and her siblings were given Western style titles of Prince and Princess. In 1877, after her younger brother Leleiohoku II’s death, she was proclaimed as heir apparent to the throne. During the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, she represented her brother as an official envoy to the United Kingdom.

Liliʻuokalani ascended to the throne on January 29, 1891, nine days after her brother’s death. During her reign, she attempted to draft a new constitution which would restore the power of the monarchy and the voting rights of the economically disenfranchised. Threatened by her attempts to abrogate the Bayonet Constitution, pro-American elements in Hawaiʻi overthrew the monarchy on January 17, 1893. The overthrow was bolstered by the landing of US Marines under John L. Stevens to protect American interests, which rendered the monarchy unable to protect itself.

The coup d’état established the Republic of Hawaiʻi, but the ultimate goal was the annexation of the islands to the United States, which was temporarily blocked by President Grover Cleveland. After an unsuccessful uprising to restore the monarchy, the oligarchical government placed the former queen under house arrest at the ʻIolani Palace. On January 24, 1895, Liliʻuokalani was forced to abdicate the Hawaiian throne, officially ending the deposed monarchy. Attempts were made to restore the monarchy and oppose annexation, but with the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, the United States annexed Hawaiʻi. Living out the remainder of her later life as a private citizen, Liliʻuokalani died at her residence, Washington Place, in Honolulu on November 11, 1917.

It appears the problem of overtourism and local culture is not unique to Hawaii.
Barcelona also thinks Tourism is an invasion, but ETOA doesn’t want tourists to go home yet 

Travel News | eTurboNews

US Advisory for Democratic Republic of Congo: Reconsider travel

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The US Department of State has issued a travel advisory for the Democratic Republic of Congo advising that travel be reconsidered due to crime and civil unrest. Some areas have increased risk.

The Travel Advisory recommends:

Do not travel to –

  • North Kivu and Ituri provinces due to Ebola.
  • Eastern DRC and the three Kasai provinces due to armed conflict.

Violent crime, such as armed robbery, armed home invasion, and assault, while rare compared to petty crime, is not uncommon, and local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious crime. Be aware that assailants may pose as police or security agents.

Many cities throughout the country experience demonstrations, some of which have turned violent.  Police authorities have at times responded with heavy-handed tactics that have resulted in civilian casualties and arrests.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Kinshasa due to extremely limited infrastructure and poor security conditions.

Read the Safety and Security section on the Country Information Page.

If you decide to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo:

North Kivu and Ituri Provinces

Sporadic but severe outbreaks of violence targeting civilians, including killing, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging, continue throughout North Kivu, South Kivu, Tanganyika, Haut Lomami, Ituri, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele provinces.

A significant number of both confirmed and probable cases of Ebola have been reported in nine health zones of Congo’s North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in North Kivu and Ituri provinces as U.S. government travel to these areas is restricted.

Visit the government website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

The Eastern DRC Region and the Three Kasai Provinces

Parts of eastern DRC and the provinces of Kasai Oriental, Kasai Central, and Kasai Occidental are unstable due to armed group activity and military operations.  Major outbreaks of violence include the targeting of civilians in these areas.

The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in eastern DRC region and the three Kasais provinces as U.S. government travel to these regions is restricted.

Visit the government website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

Travel News | eTurboNews

WTTC: Travel and Tourism is Zambia’s 2018 fastest-growing national economic sector

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The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is getting ready for its Annual Summit in Seville next month, and Africa will be happy.

Report after report is confirming enormous growth potential for the African Travel and Tourism industry.

Alongside WTTC’s good numbers, a new initiative spearheaded by the eTN Corporation is the African Tourism Board which will launch on April 11 at an ATB Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

“This all confirms the important role Africa has established globally,” said eTN President and Interim African Tourism Board Chairman Juergen Steinmetz.

Travel and Tourism is Zambia’s 2018 fastest-growing national economic sector, contributing US$1,846.9MN (ZMK19.4 billion) to national economy, reported WTTC, and 318.9 thousand jobs to the Zambian economy in 2018 while posting a +6.3% Gross Domestic Product (GDP), making it the fastest and bullish economic sector in the country.

International visitors alone spent ZMK8.4 billion representing 8.3% of the total Zambian exports, and in terms if spending characteristics the leisure sectors account for a total of 38% while business was at 62%. Domestic spending on tourism and travel stood at 47% while international spending was 53%. The industry is estimated to create a total of 464.6 thousand jobs in 2019 with an estimated 1.1million expected international visitors in 2019.  This is according to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s annual review of the economic impact and social importance of the sector released this month.

Tsogo Sun Garden Court Hotel Kitwe Zambia – Photo courtesy of Garden Court Kitwe Management

WTTC is an international non-governmental organization which represents the Travel and Tourism private sector globally with over 170 membership that includes CEOs, chairmen, and presidents of the world’s leading Travel and Tourism businesses from across the globe covering all industries. The organization works to raise awareness of Travel and Tourism as one of the world’s largest economic sectors, supporting one in 10 jobs (319 million world wide and generating 10.4% of the world GDP in 2018).

The World Travel and Tourism Council is the global authority on the economic and social contribution of Travel and Tourism. The organization promotes sustainable growth for the Travel and Tourism sector, working with governments and international institutions to create jobs, to drive exports and to generate prosperity. Together with Oxford Economics an international consulting firm headquartered in Oxford United Kingdom and prides itself as a global leader in forecasting and quantitative analysis, produces annual research that shows Travel and Tourism to be one of the world’s largest sectors. WTTC has been producing comprehensive reports quantify, compare and forecast the economic impact of Travel and Tourism on 185 economies around the world for nearly 30 years. In addition to individual country fact sheets, and fuller country reports, WTTC produces a world report highlighting global trends and 25 further reports that focus on regions, sub-regions and economic and geographic groups.

Commenting on this extraordinary data by WTTC, Zambia’s celebrated tourism pundit Dr. Percy Ngwira stated that WTTC has revealed something that needs thorough reflection and validation in line with Zambia’s national data produced relevant national competent institutions. He was, however, quick point out that the travel and tourism sector in Zambia has indeed being growing arguably so in the past five years owing to the current governments implantations of conducive policy and commitment to develop the sector.

According to the Zambia’s Minister of Tourism and Arts Charles Banda who is also UNWTO Executive Council Chair the current Zambian government has recognized prioritized the tourism and placed it as the second most important economic sector in the country that is poised to play  a significant  role in the country’s economic emancipation towards the achievement of Zambia’s  national Vision 2030, which aims to transform the country  into a prosperous middle income nation by the year  2030 and to create a new Zambia which is a strong and dynamic middle-income industrial nation that provides opportunities for improving the well-being of all, embodying values of socio economic justice.

Recently Zambia has witnessed growing investment in the tourism sector, many new hotels have been built including Hilton Hotel group that opened a $100m luxury 20-floor mixed-use Hilton Garden Inn hotel in the Zambian capital Lusaka in 2018.

The Zambian copper rich region located near the Democratic Republic of Congo also had a new state of art hotel by Tsogo Sun of South Africa Garden Court Kitwe that was open late last year.

eTN is a media partner for WTTC.

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