Monthly Archives: January 2025
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Posted: January 02, 2025Categories: Passports and Visas
Read more »Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa and sixth largest in the world, continues to grow in popularity as a tourist and business destination for residents of Mobile and the state of Alabama. Known as the “Giant of Africa” -- every fifth African is Nigerian and its former capital, Lagos, is the largest city on the continent -- Nigeria is a regional powerhouse that dominates West Africa.
While the U.S. State Department advises travelers to reconsider visiting Nigeria due to risks of crime and terrorism, the warnings are largely confined to certain areas of the country. “After they have spent a day or two in Nigeria, most visitors are surprised to see that the country is so much more than its reputation for scam artists and kidnappings,” Lonely Planet reported (https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/things-to-know-before-traveling-to-nigeria). “Shake off that image. The moment you step out of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) – the default port of entry for most international visitors – you’ll immediately sense that you’re entering a world of wonder and contrasts.”
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Posted: January 01, 2025Categories: Passports and Visas
Read more »France – the world’s top tourist destination – drew a record 100 million-plus travelers in 2023. Some five million U.S. citizens visited that year, including visitors from American cities such as Milwaukee. Americans providing the largest share of international visitors to Paris at 12%. France’s “classical European architecture, rich culture, internationally renowned wineries, and even pristine Mediterranean beaches offer something for everyone,” GoWithGuide stated. “The country is also home to a whopping 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including famous sites such as Mont-Saint-Michel, as well as many lesser known gems.” (https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in-france-statistics-2023-all-you-need-to-know-5275)
European France (or Metropolitan France) is located in Western Europe, where it borders Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, and Switzerland. Its coast lies along the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, where it shares a maritime border with the United Kingdom. However, the government of the French Republic also includes French Guiana in South America, the French West Indies in the Caribbean Sea, and various islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans. Those islands, plus former French colonies such as Algiers, span almost 250,000 square miles and account for most of the world’s 310 million French speakers.
