Monthly Archives: May 2024

Seattle metropolitan area residents exploring new destinations are among the 80,000 Americans who visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia each year.  With casual visitors unable to enter the country in recent decades, international travelers are now exploring the kingdom to enjoy its long-hidden treasures. “Saudi Arabia offers both natural and historical wonders, from the mountain resorts of Taif and the majesty of ancient Nabatean tombs to the multicolored coral reefs of the Red Sea,” the Saudi embassy stated on its website (https://www.saudiembassy.net/sports-and-recreation). 

Before the kingdom began issuing leisure tourist visas in 2019, foreign visitors to Saudi Arabia were primarily religious pilgrims, businesspeople, or government officials.  The next five years brought more than 100 million travelers to Saudi Arabia. “The Kingdom's tourism sector has shown remarkable resilience, with inbound spending reaching over USD 37 billion in 2023 and a significant increase in hotel keys across the kingdom,” the UN’s World Tourism Agency stated (https://www.unwto.org/news/un-tourism-applauds-saudi-arabia-s-historic-milestone-of-100-million-tourist-arrivals#). “These achievements are a testament to Saudi Arabia's commitment to creating a prosperous and sustainable tourism sector.” Reform-minded Saudi rulers have prioritized global tourism and relaxed their country’s conservative culture, helping open their society to more foreigners.

The rich culture and centuries-old history of Russia have made it a favorite destination for tourists from the Phoenix area for decades.  The largest country in the world, the Russian Federation crosses 11 time zones, spanning Asia and Eastern Europe to reach the Pacific Ocean near Alaska.  Russia is home to numerous museums, palaces, cathedrals, historic sites, sunny beaches, and majestic ski resorts.

Some 143 million people from more than 190 ethnic groups live in Russia, primarily residing in urban areas and concentrated in the western regions of the country.  The nation’s recorded history dates back more than 1,100 years, including establishment of the Russian Empire in 1721, the Russian Revolution in 1917, the rise and fall of Soviet Union during the Twentieth Century, and the founding of the Russian Federation in 1991.

During the late 2010s, more than 32 million foreign travelers visited Russia.  However, since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leisure and business travel has plummeted.  About 8.8 foreigners visited Russia in 2023, just a 3.5% increase over 2022, according to the Russian government. 

The northeastern African nation of Eritrea is not a common destination for casual tourists from the Detroit area -- despite its historic cultural treasures and widely diverse natural attractions.  One of the least developed countries in the world, the State of Eritrea is known as one of the most difficult jurisdictions for obtaining a visa -- and for its many undiscovered treasurers. “For such a small country, Eritrea offers an astonishing variety,” World Travel Guide stated (https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/africa/eritrea/). “It tends to attract a motley crew of visitors: from archaeologists to architects; scholars to scuba divers; historians to hikers; and cyclists to steam railway buffs.”

Located in the Horn of Africa, Eritrea is bordered by the Sudan, Ethiopia, and Djibouti.  The Red Sea forms the country’s 1,212-kilometer eastern border. “Eritrea is known as a land of contrasts, with a diverse range of cooler highland escarpments, arid lowlands, humid coastal plains and desert islands all converging within the 122,000 square kilometers that is home to an estimated 3.5 million people,” according to Peace Through Commerce: Tourism and Development in Eritrea, a government assessment of sustainable tourism opportunities (https://www.iwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Aman-Haile-Sustainable-Tourism-Report.pdf).

Papua New Guinea, the most populous Pacific Ocean country and largest by land mass, is rebounding as a leisure and business travel destination despite concerns about civil unrest and crime.  The country reported 140 million visitors in 2023, a 116% increase over the prior year but still below pre-pandemic levels. (https://www.postcourier.com.pg/png-tourism-records-significant-growth-in-visitor-arrivals-for-2023/)  While the country is likely off the radar for most residents of the Atlanta area, Papua New Guinea may be considered by some adventurous travelers as an add-on to an Australia or Southeast Asia itinerary.   

Located just north of Australia, Papua New Guinea occupies the western half of the island of New Guinea, while the eastern half is part of Indonesia.  The northern part of the country was occupied by Germany during the Nineteenth Century and administered by Australia following World War I.  The southern part became British New Guinea in 1888.  The two areas became the Independent State of Papua New Guinea in 1975 and remains part of the British Commonwealth of Nations.  However, for decades since it became a sovereign nation, it has been plagued by civil unrest, corruption, tribal tensions, and political violence. “Reconsider travel to Papua New Guinea due to crime, civil unrest, and piracy,” the U.S. State Department advises (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/papua-new-guinea-travel-advisory.html). “Exercise increased caution due to kidnapping, unexploded ordnance, inconsistent availability of healthcare services, and potential for natural disasters.” Similarly, the British government “advises against all but essential travel to parts of Papua New Guinea.” (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/papua-new-guinea)

The African nation of South Sudan is the youngest country in the world – and one of the least visited.  Armed conflicts, ongoing humanitarian crises, and lack of tourism infrastructure have kept South Sudan off most tourists’ bucket list.  However, the country does welcome a stream of businesspeople, charitable workers, and even some adventurous travelers from the Kansas City area.

Landlocked South Sudan borders the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.  The geographic area of western and central Africa south of the Sahara Desert is known as the Sudan.  From 1896 to 1954, the United Kingdom and Egypt exercised joint control of the Sudan until the new Republic of the Sudan achieved independence in 1956.  Arab Muslims dominated the northern part of Sudan, while African Christians and other groups dominated the south.  After two civil wars, South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011.  However, continued ethnic violence and another civil war plagued South Sudan before a new coalition government was formed in 2020.

Peru’s fast-growing economy and free trade agreements with the United States continue to offer business opportunities for companies in the Birmingham area and across Alabama.  Situated in the western part of South America along the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains, Peru is bordered by Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.  The country covers 1.3 million square feet spanning three regions: Coast (Costa), Highlands (Sierras) and Jungle (Amazonia).  The multicultural nation of 31.5 million Spanish and Quechua-speaking inhabitants features the cosmopolitan capital city of Lima alongside vast natural reserves and colorful indigenous traditions.  Lima is roughly an eight-hour flight from Birmingham with one transfer in Atlanta or Miami.

Although the Peruvian economy and internal politics of the country have faced difficulties the past four years due to the pandemic, the country has been among the fastest-growing economies in the Americas the past decade, with an average growth rate of 5.9 percent, according to the World Bank. “Peru has solid macroeconomic fundamentals, including a relatively low public debt to GDP ratio, considerable international reserves, and a solid central bank,” the organization stated.  The World Bank forecasts Peru’s GDP will grow by 3.4 percent in 2022.

The Central African Republic, a landlocked nation at the heart of the continent, is one of the least visited countries for residents of Atlanta.  Despite its vast natural resources, the country is one of the poorest and most fragile countries in the world.  It also ranks as the unhealthiest, the worst country for children, and among the bottom 10 for education and hunger. “It’s never a good sign when you land in a country and the first thing you see are planes from the United Nations, World Food Programme or Médecins Sans Frontiers {Doctors without Borders},” the travel blog Road to 197 reported in 2024 (https://www.roadto197.com/2024/01/14/trip-report-central-african-republic/). “In such situations you realize that things are not good in the country, that the country has serious issues….”

Known as French Equatorial Africa during the European colonial period, the Central African Republic (CAR) attained independence in 1960.  Ruled for 15 years by brutal dictator Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the country has since endured decades of civil war, corruption, and human rights abuses. “Do not travel to the Central African Republic (CAR),” the U.S. State Department warns, citing violent crimes, kidnappings, and armed rebels. “Although there have been no specific incidents of violence or threats targeting U.S. citizens, civil unrest, demonstrations, and election-related violence (including renewed outbreaks of armed conflict) may occur throughout the country.” (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/central-african-republic-travel-advisory.html)  More than 15,000 UN peacekeepers were in the CAR during 2024.

Greenville, the center of the most populous metropolitan area in South Carolina, is often considered the economic engine of the Palmetto State.  While more than 72,000 people live in Greenville, the Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, S.C. metropolitan area is home to more than 975,000 – and more than 1.5 million live in the 10-county Upstate South Carolina region.  Major industries powering the Upstate economy include aerospace, automotive, engineered materials, life sciences, and food manufacturing.  Top employers include Prisma Health, Michelin North America (headquartered in Greenville), Duke Energy, GE Power, and engineering/construction firm Fluor Corporation.  The region is thriving due to its location along the Interstate 85 corridor that connects Atlanta, the Port of Charleston, and East Coast and Midwestern markets.

Upstate SC is also home to more than 575 international companies, of which 11% (55) are based in Japan.  According to the Upstate SC Alliance, Japan firms include Jtekt Automotive, Fujifilm, Nippon Carbide Industries (rubber and plastics), Creform (materials handling systems), and Toray Industries (composites).  AFL, owned by Fujikura Ltd. of Kyoto City, has been based in Spartanburg County since it was formed in 1984.  Tokyo-based Nissan Foods began building a $228 million facility in Greenville County in 2023, while Omron Automation of Kyoto has announced plans in 2024 for a $9.2 million industrial technology center in the Greer, S.C.  Overall, Greenville and the Upstate area are major contributors to South Carolina’s $36.4 billion in manufactured and agricultural goods exported globally.

Salt Lake City, the most populous city in Utah with more than 1.2 million residents, is the seventh fastest-growing city in the United States.  Named for the nearby Great Salt Lake (the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere), Utah’s capital was founded in 1847 by a group of Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young.  The city is best known as the worldwide headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which operates in China and 160 other countries.  Temple Square -- Utah’s number one tourist attraction -- includes the Salt Lake Temple and the home of the Tabernacle Choir.  Three Fortune 1,000 companies are headquartered in Utah: Salt Lake City’s Zion Bancorporation, SkyWest Airlines (St. George), and Nu Skin Enterprises (Provo).  Major Salt Lake City employers include the University of Utah, Zion Bank, BIOFIRE Diagnostics, and Kennecott Utah Copper -- which operates one of the world’s largest open-pit copper mines.  Health care and social assistance is the largest industry in Salt Lake City, followed by manufacturing; professional, scientific, and technical services; education; and transportation and warehousing.