International travel is entering a phase unprecedented in recent decades, in which the average traveller faces a confusing time. At the moment, some national governments are trying to increase restrictions and extend lockdowns, while others are trying to ease restrictions and encourage businesses.
In some federal nations, the direction given by the central executive is regularly at odds with that of local administrations. International travellers, or at least those few that are able to make journeys, face a confusing array of conflicting advice and legislation across different territories.
Despite ongoing infections, some countries are easing restrictions. These include (not exclusively):
– Australia: Victoria and New South Wales have eased curfews (but there are variations between different states);
– Burkina Faso: Has lifted bans on inter-city travel and visiting mosques;
– Côte d’Ivoire: Has lifted restrictions on restaurants, maquis, nightclubs and cinemas
– Germany: Easing restrictions on the land border with Austria this weekend, planning to open it in four weeks’ time, and considering opening borders with Czechia and Slovakia;
– India: Reopened parts of its national railway network this week;
– Mexico: Is planning to reopen the mining and vehicle manufacturing industries;
– UAE: Dubai has lifted restrictions on accessing parks, beaches, restaurants and shopping malls.
At the same time, some countries are increasing their restrictions. These include (again, not exclusively):
– Bangladesh: Lockdown is expected to be extended until at least 30 May;
– Ghana: A ban on public gatherings has been extended until at least 31 May;
– Lebanon: A five-day curfew has been introduced this week;
– Nigeria: A local lockdown in Kano state has been extended by one week;
– Philippines: Community quarantine has been extended until at least 31 May;
– Saudi Arabia: A nationwide 24-hour curfew is being introduced over the Eid long weekend.
Some governments are sending out mixed messages with an increase in some restrictions and an easing of others. For instance:
– Malaysia: Lockdown has been extended until at least 09 June, whereas restrictions on gatherings in mosques have been lifted;
– DR Congo: The state of emergency has been extended until at least 23 May, whereas lockdown for Gombe, a district of Kinshasa, has been lifted;
– Ukraine: Quarantine has been extended beyond 22 May, but some restrictions are being relaxed.
Clearly, governments are trying to find the right political balance, and it is one of the most difficult tightropes to walk in the modern world. Those that are increasing lockdown restrictions are mostly concerned about an unprecedented epidemic and the impact that it will have upon the health of populations, not to mention the strains on health services; however, these governments are staring down the barrel of what may turn out to be the worst recession in living memory, potentially even worse than the depression of the 1920s. Those governments that are easing restrictions already are worried about economic productivity, and the civil unrest that is associated with many people who cannot return to work and feed their families; these governments will need to find a way to control new waves of the outbreak.
Inevitably, many developing countries fall into both categories. Not only does Senegal, for instance, have its risk of infection increased by densely-populated Dakar, but it also relies heavily on foreign aid, and nearly 40% of the population lives in poverty; making things worse for the Senegalese government, the religious lobby has pressurised the government into the re-opening of mosques and churches, and the government is not strong enough to face down potential civil unrest.
Other governments face different agendas. The religious agenda is strong in Muslim countries, particularly with Ramadan ongoing and Eid approaching. Some governments need access to foreign aid and the assistance of international healthcare workers. Some governments, such as the French, face a precarious balancing act with trades union and ensuring that a return to work is only sanctioned when the environment is adequately secure. On top of all these smaller agendas is the issue of global geopolitics, with major powers wanting their respective economies to flourish while apportioning blame for the epidemic to other actors.
This mosaic of political, economic and healthcare agendas makes international travel a complicated issue for those undertaking journeys, if they are permitted at all. Not many international journeys are being made, but there are a few (particularly cargo and humanitarian assistance). Changes are clearly happening very quickly. In this environment, travellers should:
– Be ready for fast changes in travel policy from host and destination nations;
– Monitor media in host and destination nations for the latest changes;
– Make plans for emergency evacuation, whether for security or healthcare reasons;
– Ensure that appropriate travel insurance is in place;
– Verify flights in advance of departure and consider secondary options;
– Be aware of all travel restrictions and entry requirements;
Above all, travellers should remain flexible and expect journeys to be complicated.
Warnings The UK and US governments have both issued warnings to Christmas travellers planning on visiting northern European markets over the Christmas holiday period. The US government raised terrorist warnings about Denmark, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the UK; the FCO warned of increased threat levels in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, […]
NGS happy to provide semi-permanent shelter for adult wellbeing hub Plough Corner at Little Clacton, Essex, is a work-based training facility for adults with learning disabilities. On site they have a café and a garden centre that are open to the general public, a wellbeing centre for adults with more complex needs and also […]
ISRAEL ELECTIONS COUNTRY: Israel EVENT: Legislative elections DATE: 17 September DETAILS Snap elections for the Knesset (the 120-seat unicameral Israeli parliament) will be held on 17 September. CHANGES SINCE THE LAST ELECTION The first 2019 election had been called as a result of military operations against Hamas in Gaza in late 2018. […]
Few independent commentators doubt that climate change is already upon us, with more extreme weather events and conditions having occurred in the last twenty years than in the previous 200. In addition to the environmental, social and economic disasters that human populations will face around the globe, every single climate change issue will increase the […]
The threat to journalists from authoritarian governments Journalists have always taken risks to get stories out into the mainstream media. But things have changed in the last ten years: murders of journalists have become more targeted as authoritarian governments seek to protect their reputations in an increasingly online media environment. Journalism can be […]
Traveller Insight The FCO in London has changed its travel advice for Sri Lanka: after the bombs in Colombo on Easter Sunday, it now advises “against all but essential travel”. A large-scale attack On 21 April, three hotels and three churches were targeted in a co-ordinated suicide IED attack against tourists and Christians on […]
Current Events and Considerations The activity in Turkish regional politics coupled with volatile economic activity from the Turkish Lira should be taken into consideration when predicting potential impact this could have on persons visiting Turkey for business or leisure. Both political and economic activity are a direct result of, or influenced by the current leadership within Turkey and its relationships […]
This article displays a global risk timetable in which scheduled events for 2019 are scored for their assessed risk in five areas: political violence, civil unrest, terrorism, crime and travel disruption. It then discusses trends across global politics and security for 2019, before an in-depth assessment of four of the scheduled events, each assessment concluding […]
NGS operator Dylan Gwinn, a former Metropolitan police officer, looks at the threats facing travellers to London, and how they can best be managed and mitigated. Introduction In the first nine months of 2017, there were over 30 million foreign visitors to London. With large increases in tourist numbers from both Asia and Europe, it […]
NGS have featured in the August edition of Professional Security magazine. We frequently hold comprehensive training workshops for our female clients. Discussing mutual experiences, top-tips and offering industry best practice, the NGS Lone Female Traveller Workshop is becoming a household name! To read the full article, follow the link below: http://www.professionalsecurity.co.uk/online-magazine/27-07-18/28-08/mobile/index.html#p=26
NGS is proud to announce that it has reached the finals of the 2018 National Business Awards. The 2018 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards is a programme that recognises excellence across all sectors in the UK. Its appeal is that any company in the UK, regardless of size, status or sector, can enter for one […]
NGS continues to deliver full and partial logistical solutions to our client group. We remain grateful for the opportunity to support Johnson Controls Inc (JCI) in the Pacific Ocean. The project consisted of building temporary accommodation, supplying water and power supply units, catering, security and other utility services. The challenging geographical location and specific requirements […]