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Canadians ignore advice on Nepal visit
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| Sunday, August 21, 2005 Creaking rickshaws bearing foreign passengers weave through the chatter and chaos of Kathmandu's Thamel district where travellers congregate each trekking season under the flutter of prayer flags before setting off from the Nepalese capital for the Himalayas in search of adventure. But the hundreds of Canadian tourists who make the trip each year do so against the advice of their government. The tiny kingdom of Nepal, along with dozens of other countries around the world, has been on the Canadian Foreign Affairs department's travel warning list since 2001. Although many Canadians continue to take pleasure trips to countries on the no-go list, tour operators suggest that the warnings may unnecessarily scare people away from destinations they believe are safe. "You're probably in far greater danger driving on the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto, than being caught up in a terrorist incident in Nepal," said Michael Dudeck, operations manager of the Toronto-based Canadian Him-alayan Expeditions, which has offered guided tours to Nepal and other adventure destinations for decades. Under an updated classification system introduced in late July, the small country bordered by China and India and home to the famed Mount Everest, is listed as class "G": meaning Canadians are advised against non-essential travel there. "The situation remains volatile and unpredictable," reads the warning to travellers posted on the department's website. Dudeck is skeptical and suggests those travelling anywhere in the world -- whether it is on the advisory list or not -- should do their homework. "I always tell people they have to, to the best of their ability, do their due diligence. Ultimately, you try to chose a reputable travel agent or company that has years of experience and hopefully has some insight," he said. "For me, it's never black and white. I try to paint as fair an image as I can." The old system of travel warnings distinguished between Canadians living in the country and Canadian tourists to define the different levels of risk associated with various destinations. Now, the wording offers an additional level of precision, contrasting "all travel" with "non-essential travel." |
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