Comments

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  David Paul Appell May 6, 2011 at 6:17pm

  It appears bin Laden's death is not affecting travel as much as some feared. Here's a note from Travel Weekly this week:

   

  "A nervous travel industry this week reflected on how the death of Osama bin Laden might affect consumers' attitudes toward traveling abroad, nearly 10 years after the Sept. 11 attacks he masterminded changed the industry forever. 
  
  For the most part, agents, operators, hoteliers and security experts alike appeared to believe that the greatest disruption in travel had occurred a decade ago; everything since has been par for the course. 
  
  If anything, they reported finding themselves reassured by the reaction — non-reaction, actually — of the traveling public. "
  
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  Peter Tarlow May 6, 2011 at 5:15am

  Unfortunately there are too many cities on the list that Robert is seeking. Crime has destroyed tourism cities at different times in recent history. From Mexico's having cruise lines cancel to the major problems in the Caribbean to numerous cities in both Latin America (think of Rio for example) to Russia. That is why for the last 19 years I have have worked with the LVCVA (Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to produce a world tourism security conference that attracts people from around the world and established the TOPPs program to train police in tourism security.   I hope that this helps, Peter Tarlow

   
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  Darryl Musick May 6, 2011 at 5:06am

  Ciudad Juarez comes to mind.

   
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  David Paul Appell May 6, 2011 at 2:36am

  Hi Bob -- it was Peter Moss, 59, a British writer known especially for his travel pieces for The Jewish Chronicle.
  

  That horrific incident aimed at tourists, plus the concern about travel safety in the aftermath of bin Laden's killing, means this is an especially good time to start thinking about these issues -- even though, as I alluded to below, what most travelers grapple with is really more the day-to-day crime found in many places. 

   

  Say, I have a question: has anyone here been to a destination that they would flatly advise against visiting because of lack of security, high crime, etc?
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  Robert Haru Fisher May 6, 2011 at 2:17am

  I have been writing about travel health and safety on www.frommers.com for several years now and am glad to see this group getting started. I recall that years ago, an esteemed colleague advised me not to write about travel health and safety, as it was "too negative." But we can thank the late Osama bin Laden for making the topics important and I am sure they will continue to be so for years to come. David, I am curious to know who was the travel writer killed in Marrakesh. I haven't heard of a colleague dying in line of duty, so to speak, since the jet crash in Antarctica long ago.
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  Peter Tarlow May 5, 2011 at 4:58pm

  Please send me your email address and I will send you all the information. My email is ptarlow@tourismandmore.com

   
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  David Paul Appell May 5, 2011 at 4:56pm

  Peter, is there a web site with more info on the St. Kitts conference?  What will be the topics/themes being focused on?
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  Peter Tarlow May 5, 2011 at 3:21pm

  The  XVIII Annual Las Vegas International Tourism Security Conference will be next week. If interested please contact me, Peter Tarlow at <ptarlow@tourismandmore.com>  At the end of May there will be a second conference in St. Kitts. Once again contact me and i will send you the information.
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  David Paul Appell May 5, 2011 at 2:30am

  Last week's terrorist bombing of a Marrakesh café -- in which, I might add, one of our travel writer colleagues died -- demonstrates more than ever that people have to take greater care when traveling. In that case, of course, there's no way they could've known to avoid being at the wrong place at the wrong time, but most of the safety/security issues most travelers face can be greatly ameliorated by preparation and awareness.