World Briefs
As of Dec. 1, people who want to see the cities of Chongqing, Chengdu, Ningbo and Xi’an can now do so with the 144-hour (six-day) transit visa. The visa, also called the G visa, is available in 20 cities across China.
On gorilla treks tourists are always advised to take photos from a safe distance and not worry about the Gram because they are leaving more than footprints. Curious adventure travelers are not heeding the rules many continue to get close to gorillas for the Gram but these irresponsible travelers are also infecting the endangered species. There are close to 650 Instagram images of people getting about 20 feet away from the gorillas, with some of them touching these primates. This proximity means the gorillas as becoming infected, which can be deadly to them. There has been a rise in the number of infectious cases in the gorilla population with the most recent example of human metapneumovirus infecting 11 apes in Rwanda. Two apes died due to the infection. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda and Rwanda have labeled the mountain gorillas as being endangered and estimated there are just [...]
A climbing ban on the sacred Uluru rocks in Australia brought hundreds of people to get in one last climb before enforcement takes effect. The ban, which was passed in 2017, recently went into effect after the Anangu aboriginal people claimed it was a sacred place for many thousands of years and should never have been considered a rock to climb. The problem began at the start of the early 20th century when more visitors came to the area.
Sports are a huge aspect of American culture. It therefore makes perfect sense that the nation regularly hosts some of the biggest and best events on the planet. Each American Sports Event is a celebration of exceptional talent and fandom.
For people planning to visit New Zealand, there are some extra hoops to jump through before one can be approved to enter the country. The New Zealand government said in March that it would be implementing a new tourism entry approval system called Electronic Travel Authority (ETA, for short).
There is really no such thing as a “successful” traveler. You may have accomplished travelers or well-traveled people, but being a successful traveler is quite subjective and should be left up to the opinion of others.
While it may receive over 37 million visitors per year – making it seventh place on the list of most visited countries in the world in 2018 – a recent study has found that the UK is statistically more dangerous to visit than Rwanda, Romania and Azerbaijan.
The iconic white marble mausoleum intricately decorated with motifs and calligraphy may be one of the world’s most recognisable sights, but being such a beautiful building comes with its own set of problems. Overcrowding has long been an issue for the Taj Mahal in Agra, India, but will opening the site to the public at night – as the tourism ministry has announced – help reduce this issue?
Macau has long been a popular side trip from Hong Kong and tourism statistics show that this has not changed, despite the ongoing protests in the currently troubled city.
Rome officials are taking steps to thwart tourists’ behavior with a plethora of rules that range from public eating to drinking from its water fountains.
Mount Everest is the biggest of most climbers’ dreams and many more travelers are taking to its trails to see if they can reach the top of the world’s highest mountain. However, officials in Nepal are currently considering updating their regulations for Mount Everest after a controversial and fatal climbing season.
Scientists from the University of Portsmouth have created a vodka using ingredients from the Chernobyl exclusion zone, insisting that it is completely safe to drink. As most people know, Chernobyl is the location of one of the worst nuclear disasters in world history. In April 1986, the number four reactor at the power plant exploded, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people and the evacuation of a whole region.
