Tourist safety no longer an issue in Venezuela – “put your mind at rest!”
<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, May 11, 2003 By: Paul Graham Stanley
Date: Sun, 11 May 2003 13:35:38 -0400 From: Paul Graham Stanley stanley@angel-ecotours.com To: Editor@VHeadline.com Subject: Safety - Venezuela Travel
Dear Editor: (and travelers) ... Put your mind at rest. Venezuela has stabilized dramatically since the strike/stoppage that crippled general transportation and movement in December 2002 through the beginning of February 2003. Occasional non-violent demonstrations may still take place in a certain section of Caracas ... but far away from anywhere Angel-Eco takes its tourism clients.
The following statement was issued to us directly by the Venezuelan Deputy Minister of Tourism’s office in Caracas, to announce at a travel show at which we exhibited jointly with INATUR in Chicago recently.
“The Viceministerio of Tourism and the Instituto Autonomo Fondo Nacional de Promocion y Capacitacion para la Participacion Turistica INATUR, (a federal Agency dedicated to the promotion and social participation in the tourist activity) make public, specially to foreign tourism companies and all other individuals interested in coming to the country, that the Venezuelan government guarantees to protect the physical integrity of tourists that visit our country."
Aware of the socio-political reality ... this not being in any way exclusive to Venezuela ... extra mechanisms are being implemented to assure the normal development of activities in all sectors, with a united effort by all public and private parties in the Venezuelan tourism industry. In that sense, through a series of encounters sponsored by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, meetings have been held with tourist operators, airlines and hotel representatives, as well as service providers and tourism industry worker nationwide to regain confidence in Venezuela as the Caribbean tourist destination of excellence.
Among various measures adopted has been the writing of a document addressed to the members of the Organization of American States (OAS) “Dialogue, Negotiation & Agreements Table” ... established between the government and the opposition to resolve problems that have overshadowed the nation in an effort lead by OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria. A declaration of designated "no-conflict zones" has been requested, exempt from all political confrontation: Nueva Esparta, Paria, Mochima, Los Roques, La Gran Sabana and the Canaima National Park ... and all such positive action as will guarantee security, freedom of direct or indirect commerce and freedom of transit in a way that will serve the best interests of tourists throughout Venezuela ... "the Venezuelan government qualifies its invitation to all travelers to enjoy the diversity that Venezuela offers to the world.”
As the statement holds, a document has been passed to all authorities to give visitors greater peace of mind and a greater sense of security when traveling to the interior of Venezuela. Fellow tour operators, camps and services want to see the unfair severity of the US governments’ travel advisory redefined. We believe from our personal experience that it is absolutely safe to travel when one makes a booking through a reputable company which accompanies clients on arrival to Caracas.
For our part, Angel-Eco Tours has been able to conduct tours virtually issue-free during the extensive time frame of the recent troubles ... like everyone else in the Venezuelan tourism industry we have suffered from serious cancellations ... but not a single one of our passenger/clients has been inconvenienced in any significant manner other than occasional and simple re-routing necessary for them to “live” the experiences our adventure trips continue to offer.
Meanwhile, spare a thought for our Pemon and Warao indian partners who have suffered extensively through the unfortunate lack of sustainable tourism ... like other small groups throughout Venezuela's exotic natural wonderland, they have little comprehension of anything is happening outside of their exclusive communities in the rainforests and the jungles ... "War, demonstrations, strikes ... what's that? Where have all the people all gone?” they ask us.
Paul G Stanley stanley@angel-ecotours.com President, Angel-Eco Tours, Inc 53 Remsen Street, Suite 6 Brooklyn, NY 11201 - USA Tel/fax: +1 (212) 656-1240 Toll free US: 888 475-0873/4/5 www.angel-ecotours.com