For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

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Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, U.S. and British Authorities warn in response to terror attacks

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The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority in a statement released urges hotels in Sri Lanka to take maximum measures to strengthen security as Hotels have been one of the main targets. Please assist us in spreading the word and let us not forget to help tourists who are currently in Sri Lanka.”

The Sri Lanka travel industry is bracing for the impact of the horrific attack Easter Sunday in the nation’s capital Colombo and in Negombo, where the airport is located.

Sri Lanka received 2.1 million tourists in 2017 and had set a target to double that number this year. Free visas to visitors from 30 countries including the U.S.,UK, EU and Thailand are part of this strategy.

Currently, Sri Lanka is quiet. It’s a curfew and all roads are closed.

The U.S. embassy raised the level of travel advisory for Sri Lanka to level 2: The embassy warned terrorist groups to continue plotting possible attacks in Sri Lanka. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

The White House issued a statement, that the United States condemns in the strongest terms the outrageous terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka that have claimed so many precious lives on this Easter Sunday. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the more than 200 killed and hundreds of others wounded. We stand with the Sri Lankan government and people as they bring to justice the perpetrators of these despicable and senseless acts.

In the meantime, Sri Lanka arrested 13 alleged suspects. Another attack on the airport was prevented. 215 people including foreign tourists were killed, more than 500 injured in a series of planned and coordinated attacks on Easter Sunday.

The UK Foreign Department is telling British Citizens:

On 21 April 2019 bombs were used to attack three churches and three hotels in Sri Lanka, in central Colombo; in the northern suburb of Colombo Kochchikade, and in Negombo roughly twenty miles north of Colombo; and in the east of the country in Batticaloa. There have been significant casualties. If you are in Sri Lanka and you are safe, we advise that you contact family and friends to let them know that you are safe.

If you are in Sri Lanka and have been directly affected by the attacks, please call the British High Commission in Colombo: +94 11 5390639, and select the emergency option from where you will be connected to one of our consular staff. If you’re in the UK and worried about British friends or family in Sri Lanka caught up in the incidents, please call the FCO switchboard number: 020 7008 1500 and follow the same steps.

Security has been stepped up across the island and there are reports of ongoing security operations. if you are in Sri Lanka, please follow the advice of local security authorities, hotel security staff or your tour company. The airport is operating, but with increased security checks. Some airlines are advising their passengers to arrive early for check-in, in light of increased security screening.

The Sri Lankan authorities have declared a nationwide curfew. You should limit movements until this has been lifted, following the instructions of the local authorities and your hotel/tour operator.

The Sri Lankan authorities have confirmed that, if you need to catch a flight from Colombo airport, you are able to travel to the airport provided you have both passport and ticket valid for travel that day. They have also confirmed that arrangements have been put in place for arriving passengers.

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The place to visit today is Thailand: Happy Songkran 2019

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If there was a better time to explore the uniqueness of Amazing Thailand, the Thai New Year, known as the Songkran Festival from April 13 to 16 is an event where an all-out water battle and ancient traditions somehow blend in an annual celebration. The country is coming to a business standstill, turning into a national party.

It’s unlike anything else in the world. And it’s wet. Venturing out onto Thailand’s streets on April 13 is an open invitation to have a bucket of water thrown at you or a loaded water super-soaker aimed in your direction. You WILL get wet.

For tourists, the event offers a huge water party breaking out in the streets of Thailand’s towns and villages. For locals, it is a time when they can spend moments with their families and visit temples to  make merit – and then get involved in the water fights as well.

This Songkran 2019 the Tourism Authority of Thailand has organized celebrations in three  tourist destinations – Tak, Mukdahan and Ranong – and is supporting activities in eight other provinces (Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Ayutthaya, Phuket and Songkhla).

 

 

 

 

 

Songkran is the Thai New Year’s national holiday. Songkran is 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday. In 2019, the holiday will be observed 12–16 April as 13 April falls on a Saturday. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti ,literally “astrological passage”, meaning transformation or change. The term was borrowed from Makar Sankranti, the name of a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in India in January to mark the arrival of spring. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart and with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia, in keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar.

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Tartan pride celebrated nationwide and in Hawaii, too

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Tartan Day is a North American celebration of Scottish heritage, observed April 6, the date on which the Declaration of Arbroath (Scottish Declaration of Independence) was submitted to Pope John XXII, in 1320. It was written in Latin, and essentially decreed Scots will choose their own king, and furthermore, Scotsmen rejected the propaganda that God desired the English kings to victimize and abuse them.  Among the signatories of this papal protest was Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, the progenitor of my ancestors, the Stewart Kings of Scotland.  Throughout the North American Continent, Tartan Day was celebrated this past weekend.

There are well over 4,000 tartan designs that are registered. However, there are only about 500 tartans that have ever been woven.  The most exclusive is the Balmoral, worn only by the Royal Family of The United Kingdom.  Queen Victoria made wearing tartans popular; bringing back a tradition that was once banned, following the Battle of Culloden in 1746.  She dressed all her sons in kilts regularly. Prince  Alfred Ernest Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, was the second son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.  On August 2, 1869, this Duke of Edinburgh (called Affie by his parents) arrived in Honolulu.  The kilted Duke was feted by King Kamehameha V, the future Queen Liliuokalani, and the Queen Dowager Emma, with whom Prince Affie danced at a magnificent ball held in the original Iolani Palace.  The tartan-clad prince was so popular, the city’s leaders named one of Honolulu’s streets for him – Edinburg Street, which was the block of Bishop Street between Queen Street and Ala Moana Boulevard. Of course, Beretania (the Hawaiian word for Britannia) was already taken, for it was the road leading to the British Consul, and the community where Brits lived.  The area where the British consulate stood in 1843 is now Washington Place, the historic home of Queen Liliuokalani.  Before coming to the throne, Princess Lililuokalani along with Queen Kapiolani, attended Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in London in 1887. The Hawaiian Royal family was one of Queen Victoria’s greatest admirers.   Affie started a wave of Brito-mania that endured for decades.

With the rise of kilts, so to speak, Victorian clan chiefs adopted tartans for their respective clans.  Later, individuals, organizations, and governments followed suit. There is even an official tartan for the State of Hawaii. British motifs have been popular in Hawaii for over two centuries – recall that the Union Jack of the British Empire is represented on the Hawaiian flag.

Members of The Saint Andrew’s Society of Hawaii, The Caledonian Society of Hawaii, Hawaiian Scottish Association, Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, and tartan-proud members of the Celtic community gathered at the Hawaii State Capitol to celebrate Tartan Day on April 6. The capitol is across the street from Washington Place, home to the original British community in Honolulu, and location for the formal dinner given to HM The Queen Elizabeth II on her Hawaiian visit.  Although most people associate tartans with Scotland, they are popular in multiple Celtic nations.  Dr. Nancy Smiley, MD, brought a variety of Celtic flags to the Capitol, which were gallantly flown, all day long, to celebrate Tartan Day.

Some of the tartan enthusiasts posed in front of the Father Damien statue, honoring the Catholic priest who gave his life helping Hawaiians afflicted by Hansen’s Disease (leprosy).  The victims suffered the humiliation and injustice of being banished to Kalaupapa, on the island of Molokai, beginning in 1866.  Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson was a friend and guest to King David Kalakaua and Princess Victoria Kaiulani (heiress to the Hawaiian throne). The princess’ father was Archibald Cleghorn, a wealthy Scottish financier who married the king’s sister, Princess Likelike.  Robert Louis Stevenson was the Stephen King or J. K. Rowling of his era, and he took a keen interest in Hawaii and her people. He traveled to Molokai for eight days and seven nights in 1889 to research the work of Father Damien, after which he published a scathing 6,000 word polemic attacking the way these patients were discarded like human garbage. Stevenson targeted Rev. Dr. Charles McEwan Hyde, a Congregationalist “Christian” who placed great importance on fashion and how he looked in public, but was rather hateful toward the Catholic Priest Damien, and, by consequence, Damien’s passionate devotion to the leprosy victims.  At one point, Stevenson said he wanted to stab the good Reverend Hyde to death.  A blood-soaked white shirt wouldn’t look so fabulous on the dapper Reverend Hyde, you know. The Scottish rebuke from Stevenson became the most famous account of Father Damien, featuring the future saint in the role of a European aiding a benighted and maltreated native people.

The famed Father Damien statue was unveiled at the Capitol Rotunda, almost exactly 50 years ago, on April 15, 1969. Damien’s story, as told by Stevenson, is an attestation to fiery Scottish tempers – a people who are resolute in standing against injustice, just like they did at Arbroath in 1320.  And the statue is as hard as a hard-headed Scot  – constructed from bronze. Bronze is generally harder than wrought iron.   Not many craftsmen are able to produce works like this anymore. This piece was cast at a foundry in Viareggio, Italy, an area famous for creating sculptures, dating way back to 1541.

Marco Airaghi, who recently flew to Hawaii from Northern Italy, participated in the Tartan Day gathering. “The general area of Switzerland/Italian Alps/Austria is now accepted by anthropologists as being the aboriginal home of the Celtic peoples,” Airaghi said. “I’m a citizen of Italy, but Celtic passion runs deep in my soul, and these Hawaiian Celts are so much fun!  They exhibit a lot of integrity, they work very hard, and they are highly compassionate. I like that.”

Follow the author at facebook.com/ILoveAnton.

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A Japanese castle, Sanjuro the cat, and a remarkable recovery in tourism

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Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, also known as Takahashi Castle, is a castle located in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It is not to be confused with Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture.

The Takahashi City Tourist Association is upbeat, with an official of the association saying: “We want to liven up the whole city with Sanjuro.”

A feline “lord” of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, is contributing to a recovery in tourism that was dealt a heavy hit from natural disasters last summer.

The name of the cat lord of the popular castle, which is nicknamed “castle in the sky”, is Sanjuro. He settled in the precincts of the castle in the wake of torrential rains in western Japan in July last year.

Because Sanjuro is super-friendly to people, he has attracted attention on social media.

The number of tourists coming to the castle, that fell at one point after the torrential rains, recovered rapidly, thanks to Sanjuro. He is now serving as a living “beckoning cat”, the auspicious cat statue often displayed in stores and other businesses.

Sanjuro is a male with white and brown fur. He is thought to be three or four years old.

On July 21 last year, castle cleaner Ryoichi Motohara found the cat wandering in the castle’s Sannomaru area. “At the time, I thought he was an abandoned cat, because he was very skinny.”

After observing the cat for several days, the cleaner started feeding him. From then, he began appearing in the castle’s Honmaru main area, mingling with tourists.

The cat never got angry when people would touch him. He responded to people with cute manners while purring. He became widely known through word of mouth and via online sites.

The tourist association gave the cat the name Sanjuro in tribute to Tani Sanjuro, a samurai warrior of the Bitchu Matsuyama clan who served as a troop captain of Shinsengumi, a samurai squad in the last years of the Edo period (1603-1867).

As the number of newspaper articles and TV programmes reporting about Sanjuro grew, his owner was identified around October last year.

Ms Megumi Nanba, 40, who lives in the city about 6km from the castle, said that she had been searching for her cat, who ran away from their home on July 14.

As she loved her cat and he was also was attached to her children, Ms Nanba at first wanted to take him back home. Eventually, though, Ms Nanba and her family members discussed the matter and decided to hand over their cat to the tourist association.

“I was really relieved when I found out he was alive. If he likes living in the castle, it is good for him (to stay there),” she said.

In November last year, an official of the tourist association took him home to prepare for a media presentation, and Sanjuro ran away again.

Although the association tried to find him by distributing leaflets and other means, Sanjuro could not been found, which made officials of the association increasingly worried.

Sanjuro was finally found 19 days later. Since then, the officials have kept him inside the castle’s administrative office building in the Honmaru area so as not to have such a painful feeling again.

In December last year, the association officially appointed Sanjuro to the post of “castle lord cat”. His duty as the castle lord is to stroll around in the castle twice a day, with officials holding him on a leash.

Sanjuro is highly popular for his friendliness towards visitors, such as rubbing against people’s legs and neatly sitting down on their knees.

According to the tourist association, the number of visitors in July last year in the wake of the torrential rains fell to about 20 per cent compared with that in the previous year. But in February this year, the number passed 4,000 – 40 per cent higher than that in the previous year.

The association designated March 16 as the “Day of Sanjuro” as a play on words – 3 (san), 10 (ju) and 6 (roku) – and held an event.

Tourists from across the nation swarmed to take photos of Sanjuro that day.

Ms Miho Hatanaka, 44, from Otake, Hiroshima Prefecture, said: “He is so friendly and tame. I wish I could hug him a long time.”

Her daughter Nanami, a nine-year-old elementary school student, said: “He’s so cute. I hope he keeps playing the role of castle lord.”

The association produces official items with his photo such as key chains and postcards, as well as digital stamps which can be used on LINE, a free communication app.

Manager of the tourist association Hideo Aihara said: “With Sanjuro at the core, new movements including developments of items and event plans have been occurring.

“We want to expand this positive trend while cooperating with various entities.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Brunei hotel boycott growing: Hollywood steps in

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The list of Hollywood stars, musicians, athletes, and now even companies, expanding globally as well, is growing every day in support of a boycott of Brunei hotels owned by the Sultan. This is in response to the Sultan of Brunei announcing new laws in his country against homosexuality and adultery which includes sentences of death by stoning.

The Brunei Tourism website calls itself the Abode of Peace and A Haven of Tranquility.

Joining the ranks of the boycott are Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, and Billie Jean King who are following George Clooney’s lead in calling for the boycott.

In Brunei, beginning today, offenses such as rape, robbery, and defamation of the Prophet Muhammad will carry the death penalty, and theft will be punishable by amputation. Lesbian sex will carry a penalty of 40 strokes of the cane and/or a maximum of 10 years in jail, while those who “persuade, tell or encourage” Muslim children under the age of 18 “to accept the teachings of religions other than Islam” are liable for a fine or jail. Homosexuality was already illegal in the country.

These new laws have sparked outrage among human rights organizations and public figures, and it is possible that at least one Hollywood firm is considering re-routing an upcoming event at one of the Los Angeles-based hotels that the Sultan owns; he owns the Hotel Bel-Air and The Beverly Hills Hotel.

In a tweet, Ellen Degeneres said: Tomorrow, the country of #Brunei will start stoning gay people to death. We need to do something now. Please boycott these hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei. Raise your voices now. Spread the word. Rise up.

Elton John tweeted:  I believe that love is love and being able to love as we choose is a basic human right. Wherever we go, my husband David and I deserve to be treated with dignity and respect – as do each and every one of the millions of LGBTQ+ people around the world.

Billie Jean King tweeted: This atrocity begins today in #Brunei. Please join me and spread the word about the boycott of hotels owned by the Sultan of Brunei.

Today, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, confirmed that the London Underground would be removing some Brunei tourist advertisements from its network. The Brunei Investment Agency owns the Dorchester Collection of hotels.

Travel News | eTurboNews

WTTC Global Summit: President Obama was a disappointment for many

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U.S. President Barak Obama was the most expected speaker at the ongoing World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) summit in Seville today.

More than 1500 CEOs, association presidents, ministers of tourism, and heads of state were attending the summit, and hundreds of viewers from around the world were watching the live video stream of the summit, also announced by this publication. Many who saw the eTN announcement in Hawaii were up at 2:00 am in the morning to listen in.

A loyal group of fans of the former president was in for a big disappointment when without prior warning the video live stream was stopped during the president’s address.

The feedback eTN received from people in the audience listening to Obama’s conversation was not really great. The money spent by WTTC to get some advice from the most popular head of state was disappointing.

There was no substance in the presidents’ talk was some feedback. His talk about his love for hiking when he was young was not relevant to the needs top executives were hoping to hear.

The challenges, needs of the second largest industry was not mentioned. There was no word about equality and dangers LGBT tourists face in countries like Brunei.

Mr. Obama talked about the advice he gave to his daughters: “Be kind, be useful.”

After the microphones and cameras were turned on again moderator Nick Ross praised Obama as the most popular president in generations, saying “lack of power reveals.”

President Obama arrived in Seville at midnight before the event and spent the night at Hotel Alfonso XIII, drawing attention from local residents and the press. In 2016, a scheduled visit by Obama to the Andalusian capital was canceled due to a shooting in Dallas.

He visited Reales Alcázares, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the morning before returning to his hotel.

He left again at 2 pm for Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos, which is hosting the international event on April 3 and 4.

After meeting privately with around 50 summit attendees, Obama delivered his short address to WTTC delegates.

After his speech, Obama was scheduled to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for around 20 minutes inside one of the center’s private rooms. It will be their second one-on-one after their meeting last year in Madrid.

Although this is Obama’s first trip to Seville, he has ties to the city because his daughter Malia lived there for a few months.

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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

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U.S. State Department tells tourists Brunei is safe, except for death by stoning

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The U.S. State Department is telling American travelers, Brunei is one of the safest countries in the world to visit. Brunei safer than the Bahamas, Germany or Indonesia, and way safer then Turkey.

The U.S. embassy, however, states: Criminal penalties for some offenses are harsher than in the United States. This is a clear and misleading understatement:  When traveling to Brunei the State Department wants travelers to read through a 1767 page document provided by the Brunei government outlining all details of the Syariah Penal Code. This law will be implemented as of April 3, 2019. Regardless the State Department tells U.S. Citizens, the country remains a level one “no threat.” visitors destination.

Why is the U.S. Embassy not telling American tourists, that Brunei actually is ready to stone American travelers to death if they are part of the LGBT community? Is this part of the harsher penalty for the crime of sexual orientation?

The embassy website states:

  • Non-Muslims may be arrested for khalwat (close proximity between the sexes) under the Sharia Penal Code provided that the other accused party is Muslim. Khalwat may include activities from holding hands or public displays of affection to sexual activity. U.S. citizens are also subject to khalwat laws.
  • Extramarital relations between a Muslim and non-Muslim may be considered a crime in Brunei.

eTurboNews asked the State Department and received this response:

The U.S. Department of State has no greater responsibility than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas.  We are committed to providing U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable information about every country in the world so they can make informed travel decisions.  We routinely update our Travel Advisories and country-specific information for all countries based on a comprehensive review of all available safety information and ongoing developments. At a minimum, we review Level 1 and 2 Travel Advisories every 12 months, and Level 3 and 4 Travel Advisories every six months.  We also review and update Travel Advisories and country-specific information on an as-needed basis, based on developing security and safety information.

On March 29 the State Department issued  the following paragraph linked from the page categorizing Brunei as a safe country:

“The Government of Brunei Darussalam will commence full implementation of the Syariah Penal Code (SPC) on April 3, 2019. The full SPC introduces new judicial procedures and punishments, including, for certain offenses and under certain evidentiary circumstances, amputation of hands or feet and death by stoning. The SPC applies regardless of an individual’s religion or nationality, although some sections of the law have specific applicability to Muslims. Brunei’s existing civil penal code and civil courts will continue to function in parallel with the SPC and Syariah Court.”

Scott Foster, president of LGBT Hawaii told eTurboNews:

“The response by the U.S. State Department is insulting and is putting LGBT traveler in danger. It should be the obligation for the U.S. government to protect Americans and not put them in harm’s way.
Death by stoning for LGBT travelers should be clearly visible alert on the State Department Brunei page and not hidden in a 1767 document. In no word is the State Department spelling out this danger to LGBT travelers.
The United States should immediately issue a travel warning to protect our LGBT travelers and citizens. The alert level for Brunei should be raised to 4, what means “DO NOT TRAVEL, or at a minimum to a level 3: “Reconsider Travel.”

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

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

Hotel de Parc in Baden Switzerland rebranded as Swiss-Belhotel Du Parc

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Hotel de Parc,  in the  Swiss city of Baden,  25km northwest of Zurich, will be rebranded as Swiss-Belhotel Du Parc, Baden, following the signing of a management agreement with the hotel’s owner, Hotel du Parc Baden AG of Baden. This is the inaugural property in Switzerland. for Swiss-Belhotel.

“For more than 30 years, Swiss-Belhotel International has successfully blended Swiss professionalism with Asian warmth in destinations across the globe. We are now delighted to introduce our truly unique brand of global hospitality to guests in Switzerland. Swiss-Belhotel Du Parc, Baden is an exceptional hotel that has already established itself as the leading destination for travelers in this captivating city,” said Gavin M. Faull, Chairman, and President of Swiss-Belhotel International.

“Hotel du Parc AG is the perfect partner, combining in-depth local market knowledge and best-in-class operating practices. We look forward to working with them and bringing this impressive property into an exciting new era of international hospitality,” he added.

Named after the German word for “baths”, Baden is a charming city nestled in the Limmat Valley, in the Canton of Aargau, not far from the Swiss-German border and only 20 minutes from Zurich. It’s mineral hot springs have been famous since Roman times and the city is now a Swiss Heritage Site with several impressive landmarks, including the ruins of Stein Castle which date from the 12th Century.

Travel News | eTurboNews