One official calls it “routine”U.S. continues warning American travelers [Archives:2004/792/Local News]

By Peter Willems
Yemen Times Staff
The United States renewed its warning last week for American citizens who are thinking of traveling to Yemen.
The travel warning, released by the US State Department last Wednesday, said that risks remain of possible terrorist attacks and Al-Qaeda is attempting to establish its presence in Yemen.
“The Department of State warns US citizens to consider carefully the risks of traveling to Yemen,” said the travel warning. “The security threat to all US citizens in Yemen remains high due to continuing efforts by Al-Qaeda to re-constitute an effective operating base. This could lead to possible attacks by extremist individuals or groups against US citizens, facilities, businesses and perceived interests.”
Although there have been complaints from the tourism sector of previous travel warnings from the United States which could have hurt the industry's growth, some say that the latest warning will have little impact on tourism in the near future.
“In terms of American tourists coming to Yemen, the warning will not be a setback,” said Brid Beeler, Marketing Manager at Universal Group. “US companies have already developed their tourism program for 2005, and Yemen was not included. They won't develop their 2006 program until next spring.
“This warning will not have much of an effect on European travelers. We have recently done very well in the European market. The number of customers coming from Europe has jumped up considerably in the last two months.”
Taha Al-Mahbashi, Executive Director of Tourism Promotion Board, said that despite the warning, indicators show that tourists coming to visit Yemen will be on the rise from now until next spring.
“Companies in the tourism sector have said that reservations from last month to next March have increased,” said Al-Mahbashi. “European tourists are eager to visit Yemen.”
The positive forecast for tourism comes after the sector was affected by ongoing clashes in north Yemen from June to September. Many tourist agencies reported that the number of travelers fell dramatically while fighting between followers of radical cleric Hussein Al-Houthi and government forces continued in the Saada province.
The day after the travel warning was released, an official at the Yemeni Minister of Interior said that the statements from the US State Department were “routine,” and Yemen is now stable and free of terrorist threats “following the stringent security measures implemented in past years.”
Since terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001, the Yemeni government has clamped down on terrorist elements in the country. Hundreds of terrorist suspects have been rounded up, including key Al-Qaeda members.
Suspects charged with being involved in the bombing of the USS Cole at the port of Aden in 2000 and the French oil tanker off the coast of Yemen near Mukalla were put on trial earlier this year. Last month, the Yemeni government said that no Al-Qaeda cells have remained in the country as a result of its focus on the war on terror.
“The Yemeni government has made a lot of progress on fighting terrorism,” said a Yemeni analyst. “But there are still weapons available and the stagnant economy does not work against radicals very well.”
Last July, the Yemeni government made it easier for travelers from over 30 countries to visit Yemen. Instead of getting a visa at a Yemeni embassy, tourists are now able to acquire a visa at Sana'a International Airport or other places of entry.
Also last summer, the British government revised its recommendation to travel to Yemen by lifting its warning against non-essential travel, something the government once viewed as a potential target of terrorist attacks.
The new US warning also encouraged Americans residing in Yemen to take precautions. “US citizens in Yemen should exercise caution and take prudent measures to maintain their security,” said the warning. “Maintain a high level of vigilance, avoid crowds and demonstrations, keep a low profile, vary times and routes for all travel, and ensure travel documents are current.”
The last travel warning from the US government for Americans wanting to travel to Yemen was issued last May.
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