Monthly Archives: June 2023

Philadelphia area tourists have been allowed to visit Saudi Arabia ever since the kingdom finally opened the door to leisure travelers in 2019, following decades when most visitors were businesspeople, government officials, Islamic pilgrims, and/or expatriates visiting family members.  The largest nation on the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia’s natural treasures range from the beaches of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to its hot dry deserts, mountain ranges, grasslands, and forests (located in the Asir Mountains).

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

Orlando is not just the most popular travel destination in the world – it’s also home for a growing number of Orlando residents who need to obtain U.S. passports.  More area residents are pursuing their own international travel, especially employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.

Tourism only accounts for 20% of Orlando’s economy. “The City Beautiful” is also powered by vibrant industries such as aerospace and defense, logistics and distribution, advanced manufacturing, software, innovative technologies, life sciences, and healthcare.

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

A growing number of Memphis residents are obtaining U.S. passports as international travel grows, especially among employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.  The Bluff City is best known as an entertainment and tourism center, drawing more than 11 million annual visitors to Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Sun Studios, the Blues Hall of Fame, and live music clubs on Beale Street.  However, Memphis’s diversified economy is also driven by the agribusiness and technology, food and beverage processing, medical devices, transportation, and advanced manufacturing industries.

As Tennessee’s second-largest metropolitan area, Memphis’s economic engine has dri

Azerbaijan – the South Caucasus country at the crossroads of ancient empires that once ruled Eurasia – is coming into its own as a travel destination for visitors from the Miami area. “Having long been overlooked by visitors, Azerbaijan's new easy visas, bargain-value hotels and close-packed range of beautiful landscapes are starting to attract significant flows of tourists, though as yet few of them from Western countries,” Lonely Planet reported. (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/azerbaijan )

Stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Great Caucasus Mountains, the culture of Azerbaijan reflects strong Turkish, Iranian, and Russian influences that span centuries.  The ancient Silk Road trading route that connected Europe and Asia runs through Azerbaijan.  During its long history, parts of the country had been ruled by Iran, Turkey and Russia.  After the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the country gained independence as the Republic of Azerbaijan.  However, since then, an extended border war with neighboring Armenia and conflicts with separatist forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh region have plagued the republic.

Editor's Note: U.S. passports are currently taking up to seven weeks to process using the government's expedited service.  It is possible to get a passport in less time by scheduling an appointment with the Passport Agency by calling 877-487-2778 and appearing in person at their office.

An increasing number of Charlotte residents are obtaining U.S. passports as demand for international travel grows, especially among employees of large companies with a strong presence in the area.  The eighth fastest-growing city in the United States, Charlotte has evolved into a major banking, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and technology hub.

The “Queen City” is the second largest banking center in the country, trailing only New York City.  Bank of America, the second-largest U.S. bank by assets, and Truist Financial both have their main headquarters in Charlotte, and Wells Fargo’s East Coast operations are based here.  The financial sector emplo

Pakistan, once a popular hippie backpacking destination, is still mostly off the radar for most mainstream tourists.  However, this country should not be overlooked by Chicago area visitors because it offers a variety of attractions, including historic and cultural heritage sites, diverse geographic features, and a growing adventure travel sector for mountain climbers, hikers, and water sports enthusiasts.  Forbes magazine ranked Pakistan as one of its 10 “coolest places on earth” in 2019 and among the top underrated travel destinations in 2020. “Pakistan is blessed with abundant natural and historical riches,” Lonely Planet noted. “Incredible mountain landscapes are set against a backdrop of desert forts and stories of sultans and djinns.  In its cities, ancient bazaars are home to intricately etched copper kitchenware alongside pungent spice racks and steaming tea stalls.” (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/pakistan) The British Backpacker Society has also named Pakistan is the world’s top adventure travel destination, citing its friendly residents and spectacular mountain scenery.

Officially known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the country boasts several of the most ancient cultures in South Asia.  After 1,000 years of Islamic rule, the region was conquered by Great Britain during the mid- to late 1800s and became part of the British Indian Empire.  During the early Twentieth Century, the Pakistani movement that sought to establish a homeland for India’s Muslim citizens gathered steam.  In 1947, Pakistan gained independence when Britain partitioned present-day Pakistan from India.  The Islamic Republic of Pakistan followed in 1956.