Travel News – No Travel Restrictions Until August

Travel news today is filled with reports of new air travel restrictions and rate increases due to economic conditions. There have been strikes in a number of major world airlines as well as others that are facing severe financial problems. The travel industry is actually facing the worst recession since the Great Depression and millions of travelers are on the lookout for better travel deals. This has created a huge opportunity for online travel agents to promote travel specials and discount travel packages. In order to take advantage of this travel boom, travel savvy buyers need to know some of the latest travel news.

One of the biggest stories in travel news today revolves around the Saude Arrabia dispute between Morocco and its neighbor Algeria. Since the early 1990s, Algeria has refused to fully vaccinate its citizens against a deadly Swine flu strain. However, last month, the Algerian government announced that it would allow all travelers to travel without any vaccination. The move sparked an angry response from Morocco, which called for all Saude Arrabia flights to be canceled and banned all travel to the North African country.

Travelers who travel to Morocco this month will be disappointed to know that they can travel as usual despite the health scare. The Moroccan Ministry of Health announced that all travel advisories were withdrawn and all screenings planned for the month of August were cancelled. However, there was a slight delay in implementing the measure as a precautionary measure. The Ministry of Health said that all citizens of Algeria are safe and virus-free as the measures affecting the citizens of Saude Arrabia had already been withdrawn. The officials emphasized however, that travellers should not go to or try to land in Morocco under any circumstances that may require them to wear a face mask. The travel advisory also states that travelers to Morocco are advised to avoid using taxis and shared vehicles as they pose a health risk.

Another travel news story from Africa is that a French man died on arrival at Casablanca airport due to non-compliance of vaccination requirement for entrance into the country. A fully vaccinated person is allowed entry after a three-day stay abroad. The deceased traveler, identified only as a child was traveling to Morocco for a fortnight’s holiday with his parents and two other siblings. His family had requested that he get a travel certificate but he refused to state that he did not want to give a vaccine as he did not have one.

There is no information regarding the identity of the traveler or source of infection but Saudejaria province was placed on the alert as the virus responsible for the fatality was found in a local dairy farm. The provincial authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation to find those responsible for the fatal case. According to the travel news report, the number of travel visas granted to this dairy farm has been restricted. The provincial government promised to tighten security measures in the area and review travel restrictions in the other provinces including Casablanca which have relaxed stringent measures on entry visas.

There was no immediate response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the travel news reports. The ongoing vacation boom in Morocco is seen as being dependent on the Casablanca airport as the international airport is fully loaded with tourists every year. The travel news states that authorities are stepping up measures to prevent overcrowding at the airport which may hinder the normal flow of traffic during peak hours. It also points out that there are no flights to Casablanca until August. The travel news suggests that travelers should make use of cheap flights to Morocco till then so that they do not face any inconveniences while traveling.