Travel-On Travel Industry News

Events We're Watching

These are just some of the events that we are watching. Travelers to the following areas should be aware of possible unrest.

Egypt Breaking News: Violence is increasing as numerous anti-government protests materialized as planned on 28 January 2011 and are currently ongoing in various locations throughout Egypt. Opposition movements and activists had over the past several days called for demonstrations following Friday afternoon prayer services to demand political and economic changes via a government change. The Egyptian government, which has maintained a heavy security presence in Cairo and many other cities since large-scale protests occurred on 25 January, reinforced the security presence, deploying tens of thousands of police officers to the streets of numerous cities and towns. Explosions and gunshots are occurring.

Is it Safe to Travel to Egypt Right Now?

Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Embassy’s website the U.S. Department of State's, Bureau of Consular Affairs website , where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information can be found. The U.S. Embassy also encourages U.S. citizens to review A safe trip abroad", which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or outside the United States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

 

United Kingdom:  There will be a Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Student March in central London on Saturday the 29th of January 2011 from approximately 1200 hours to 1500 hours. An estimated 7,000-10,000 TUC members and students will form up on Mallet Street (outside the University College of London) and then march onwards to Millbank.

 

Switzerland (Davos): Annual World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos from 26-30 January. Protests in other Swiss cities, including Geneva and Zurich, may occur.

 

 

 

Ethiopia (Security threat level - 3): On 26 January 2011 the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa issued the following travel warning: “This Warden Message is to remind all U.S. citizens living in or visiting Ethiopia that the Annual Summit of the African Union (AU) is scheduled to take place January 27 to 31. During this event, there will be a large number of visitors in Addis Ababa. There will be increased traffic congestion as roads are closed to facilitate movement of dignitaries.

 

During the Summit, the U.S. Embassy encourages U.S. citizens to consider the risk of attending or being near large public gatherings, including popular restaurants and nightclubs, and to be vigilant about circumstances that are out of the ordinary or otherwise deemed threatening or unsafe. Large gatherings or venues without visible security can provide particularly vulnerable targets for criminal, extremist, or terrorist groups.

British Airways cabin crew members to go on strike again: British Airways cabin crew members voted overwhelmingly Friday to go on strike -- again. Nearly 79 percent of crew members, who are represented by the union Unite, backed the move. They did not indicate when the strike would occur. Read more

 

Exercise Caution When Protests and Unrest Exist:

  • If you find yourself at or near a protest, leave.
  • If you are confronted by a protestor, leave.
  • Do not challenge debate or make unwise comments. This will only increase your chance of becoming a victim of violence.
  • Do not wear clothing that might incite some sort of response.

Remember that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence. Avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and exercise caution if within the vicinity of any demonstrations.

If you are have questions about events and civil conditions at a destination please contact your Travel-On/Travel Place agent to discuss.

Tips for Buying International Travel Insurance

You've purchased your airline tickets, booked the perfect hotel and just finished packing your bags for what is sure to be a memorable vacation. But very few of us think about what would happen if you were to get hurt or sick during the trip. That's why international travel insurance is key in some cases. Here are some ways to make sure you're covered when you're in a foreign land. Read more

Your Travel-On/Travel Place agent can assist you in purchasing travel insurance.

Latin America and Middle East are Riskiest Regions for Business Travel According to New Survey of Corporate Security Directors and Others

A recent survey of more than 570 U.S.-based corporate security professionals, travel managers, human resources executives, medical professionals and others reveals that 40 percent of respondents identify Latin America as the region that poses the greatest risk to their business travelers in 2011. Read more

Check our out recent webinar on Corporate Duty of Care.

Police Offer Winter Weather Tips

Drivers are required by law to have a clear view of the road through the car’s windshield and other windows. A large build-up of ice and snow restricts this visibility, and can cause accidents. Flying ice or snow from the roof of a car can hit a following car, cracking a windshield or causing other motorists to swerve into another vehicle. Read more

Avis Budget Puts Brakes On No-Show Fees

Avis Budget Group chairman and CEO Ronald Nelson on Thursday said the company does not plan to aggressively push no-show fees for U.S. car rentals in the near future and instead will rely on other tactics for fleet optimization, such as pre-payment. Read more 

 

ConTgo To Debut Bidirectional Mobile Mapping Communications

ConTgo, a company that helps corporations track and communicate with travelers through mobile SMS messaging, plans on Saturday to launch MTA MapCast, a geo-coded mapping tool originally developed both for and in partnership with Microsoft's security department. Read more

 

6 places germs breed in a plane

Flu season is in full swing, so it's more important than ever to protect yourself against illness. We dug deep to identify the major germ zones on planes (and tips to avoid them). Read more

 

Imagining more new airline fees

Ready for new airline fees for traveling with an infant or perhaps bringing a carry-on bag? George Hobica, founder of the travel website Airfarewatchdog.com, predicted airlines will be tempted to adopt new fees to compensate for higher fuel costs. Read more

 

Canadian National Railway reaches labour contracts for nearly 4,000 workers

After a weekend of intense bargaining, CN Rail and the Canadian Auto Workers reached a tentative labour agreement on Monday just hours before nearly 4,000 unionized workers were prepared to walk off the job. Read more

 

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