It's too soon for lift travel ban to Egypt

Just a few days after the Canadian government lifted its travel advisory to parts of Egypt – Luxor to be exact – demonstrators were back in the streets of Cairo today clashing with police.

Anyone travelling to Egypt has to land in Cairo and the situation there remains too volatile. I know the Canadian and American governments are trying to curry favor with the new Egyptian government but aren’t we jumping the gun too quickly here. As long as Cairo remains off limits, then Egypt has to remain off limits to Canadians.

It’s a shame – Egypt is my favorite country in the Middle East to visit and I know for a fact that several Canadian tour companies are chomping at the bit to send people back to that amazing storehouse of history.

But let’s be sensible here. It’s still early days in the Egyptian uprising and people should not be put at risk.

Tourism favourites in “no fly zone”

Tourism is always a victim of global events.

No one is going to Japan on holidays right now – and probably won’t for a long time to come.

Events in the Middle East – an uprising in Egypt; civil war in Libya; riots in Bahrain; car bombs in Jerusalem – have all but stopped tourism to that part of the world.

Security concerns caused by the ongoing drug war in Mexico have drastically reduced tourism to that nation.

So many tourism favourites seem to be caught in a no-fly zone right now.

However, there are still save havens and let’s face it, Canadians aren’t going to stop travelling.

So here’s the five destinations I’m recommending you consider this summer – and let’s hope “events” don’t disrupt life in these places:

1- Canada: There’s no safer place in the world right now – and there lots to see and do on home turf.

2- The U.S.: States like Florida and Arizona are great summer values – if you can stand the heat.

3- Asia: China and Indochina are the greatest travel bargains on the planet right now.

4- Europe: Just stay out of the big cities like London and Paris –rural Europe has a lot to offer and it’s much cheaper.

5- The Caribbean: Warm sunny days are guaranteed and summer is the off-season there, meaning really cheap flights and hotels.