by Josh Lew
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Wed November 11, 2015
PHOTO: Barcelona, Spain. Voters in the Catalonia region have voted to secede from Spain in 2017. (Photo courtesy of Thinkstock)
Here are the travel stories making headlines today in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East
In an unofficial ballot, 81 percent of the people in Catalonia voted to secede from Spain in 2017. The vote had already been declared illegal by Spanish authorities, but provincial leaders decided to go ahead with it anyway. Though it probably won't lead to the creation of a new Iberian country anytime soon, the poll shows just how strong regionalism is in Spain… Read more from CN Traveler
It is looking more and more like Myanmar's opposition party has won the recent elections in a landslide. However, the former military leadership still remains powerful in the country. The army controls enough seats in parliament to block any changes to Myanmar's constitution. However, regular laws can be passed by a simple majority, which Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD Party seems to have won... Read more from the New York Times.
The world's media is talking about airline security and the possibility of future terrorist attacks in the wake of the Metrojet crash in Egypt. Whether or not terrorism was ultimately to blame for the tragedy, Egypt's tourism industry has suffered yet another major setback. New hotel announcements and an increase in the number of arrivals had given the industry reason to hope. Now, the country lmay have to suffer through another tourism slump... The New York Times has more on this story.
Lisbon is slowly gaining popularity as a vacation destination. Portugal visitors have always been focused on the Algarve. Now, more and more European travelers are looking for an alternative to the usual urban destinations on the continent. Lisbon, with its old brick streets, soulful fado tunes and chilled-out vibe seems like a good choice. Read more from the San Diego Reader.
The Scotsman takes readers to Malta. The summer high season is past, but the Mediterranean island nation is still worth a visit.
ABC News points out the weakness of the Russian Ruble. The poor exchange rate is bad news for Russians, but good news for budget-conscious travelers from abroad. Europeans and Americas can make their money go much further in Moscow or Saint Petersburg.
The US State Department has issued a travel warning for Bangladesh. Recent attacks against secular journalists and foreign nationals have been blamed on extremists. The DoS is not telling people to flee the country, but it is telling them to exercise caution.
Western Europe's economy is on the rebound. Want evidence? Business travel spending in the region is expected to grow by 6 percent in each of the next two years... Read more from the Street.
The East African Community - made up of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda - is following through with a plan to improve tourism throughout the region. In addition to implementing an open skies policy and offering one blanket visa for all Community countries, the states are joining forces to promote their new regional brand to European travelers. Read more from All Africa.
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