A question to the Yemeni government [Archives:2005/817/Letters to the Editor]

Alan D'Arcy
[email protected]
Coming to the issue of tourism, I would like to ask the government one question: why is the Yemen government so reluctant to grasp what could be its main source of foreign income? Having just taken a party of 24 for three weeks around the Yemen in November, they were universally agreed that their fears and doubts were quite unfounded, and that the British Travel Advice is dreadfully wrong.

Unfortunately it is that to which travelers from Europe do turn, and the Yemen government does nothing to rebut the insinuations that it contains.

If the Egyptians could recover their status, within a year of the slaughter in Luxor, by heavy publicity, why can't Yemen do the same with its much less difficult history, and which the British Travel Advice will not leave alone.

Let us Brits show some support and stop this continued, depressing, and false representation of the security position in the Yemen. However this must be matched by some enthusiasm on the Yemeni part, otherwise the Year of the Tourist is a non- starter.
——
[archive-e:817-v:13-y:2005-d:2005-02-18-p:letters]