Mina, Saudi Arabia | AFP | With global oil prices flailing, Saudi Arabia is turning to another natural resource: billions of dollars gained from religious tourism as the kingdom hosts the annual hajj pilgrimage. Shops line the packed esplanade of the Great Mosque of Mecca, one of the holiest sites in …
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Kigali, Rwanda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Paul Kagame has said Rwanda, like other countries on the African continent, was keen to convert its favourable demographics into economic growth and prosperity. Speaking at the opening on Tuesday of the three-day global 41st Annual World Tourism Conference organized by the Africa Trade Association in …
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Kwita Izina ceremony set for September 1 Kigali, Rwanda | GORILLAFUND.ORG | Naming infant mountain gorillas has become an important annual nationwide tradition in Rwanda since 2004. The naming ceremony, called Kwita Izina and organized by the Rwandan Development Board, is based on a historic Rwandan cultural practice for naming …
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Barcelona, Spain | AFP |“Never again a summer like this”: Exasperated with the hordes of visitors they blame for making their city unliveable, Barcelona residents have risen in protest. The hugely popular Catalan metropolis has become the latest European hotspot to eye tourism with hostility. From the romantic canals of …
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Hagatna, United States | AFP | Tourism-dependent Guam is looking to cash in on its new-found fame as a North Korean missile target, tapping an unlikely promotional opportunity to attract visitors to the idyllic island and prove that all publicity is good publicity. Pyongyang’s threats to launch four missile strikes near …
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Cairo, Egypt | AFP | Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is to invest more than $800 million in hotels in Egypt, the investment ministry in Cairo said on Monday. The announcement came after parliament in May adopted a new law aimed at attracting foreign investment as the authorities seek …
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Madrid, Spain | AFP | France retained its position as the world’s favourite tourism destination in 2016, the UN’s World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said Wednesday, defying concerns over terror attacks. The United States came second followed closely by Spain, according to annual figures that the Madrid-based UNWTO normally announces in January, …
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Uganda participaes in Astana EXPO 2017, takes trade potential to central Asia Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda last week showcased her business, tourism and national achievements at the ongoing Astana EXPO2017 in Kazakhstan. The highlights of the Uganda day on July 24th 2017 included a press conference, a presentation …
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Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda | AFP | Nicaraguan singer Hernaldo Zuniga brought his entire family to trek through the lush forests and mist-shrouded volcanoes of northwestern Rwanda in search of mountain gorillas. He described their encounter with the critically endangered primates as “an almost spiritual” experience, and said it was the …
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Pyongyang, North Korea | AFP | Washington’s ban on US citizens travelling to North Korea will have no effect on the country’s tourism industry and Pyongyang does not care about it “at all”, a senior development official insisted Tuesday. The measure is due to be enacted this week and once it …
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The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
