Europe
- Madrid, Spain: Travel Advisory | Ground handler strikes will cause delays and possible cancellations to flights in Madrid, Spain over the coming weeks. Demonstrations are aimed to voice frustration over poor management and underpayment of workers. The strikes will take place on December 23, 26, 30 and January 2 and 7. Significant disruptions are likely due to the marketshare of the unions involved in Spanish aviation and the additional strain of the holiday period. Travelers are advised to reconfirm flights and monitor their status as their times get closer.
- Sofia, Bulgaria: Protest Advisory | Expect mass protests to continue to cause large disruptions in downtown Sofia, Bulgaria over the coming weeks. The introduction of a bill that would increase individual taxes sparked widespread protests throughout the country that brought down the former government and replaced it with caretaker representatives. Mass protests have taken place weekly since, with more likely following the rejection of a modified version of the bill that created the initial outrage against government corruption. These protests regularly see tens of thousands participate. Travelers are advised to avoid these protests and to monitor local media for updates.
- Edinburgh, United Kingdom: Security Advisory | Hogmanay Festival will create security concerns as festivities in Edinburgh take place from December 29-January 1. The festival is one of the largest New Year’s Eve festivals in the world, regularly attracting over 100,000 people. This brings concerns associated with large crowds, primarily petty theft and crowd crush. Several street closures will also disrupt travel downtown between the Meadows and Edinburgh Castle. Travelers are advised to remain alert when in large crowds and to keep their valuables secured.
Americas
- Argentina: Travel Advisory | A series of air traffic controller strikes will cause disruptions to flights throughout Argentina over the coming week. Controllers are striking to protest government inaction over operational measures and a lack of dialogue over pay. The strikes will take place on December 23 from 7:00 PM-10:00 PM, December 27 from 2:00 PM-5:00 PM, and December 29 from 8:00 AM-11:00 AM. Disruptions and delays after the strikes are likely as holiday crowds create a domino of delays. Travelers are advised to reconfirm bookings and to monitor their flight times.
- Bolivia: Protest Advisory | Large-scale protests are likely over the next week as the anger over the end of fuel subsidies grows. The recent cut to subsidies doubled the price of gasoline and dramatically increased the price of many other consumer goods. Transportation workers immediately stopped work in the capital, La Paz, as it became too expensive to operate. Public resentment to the measure is likely to culminate in large protests while the cut to subsidies remains. Travelers are advised to avoid any protests and to monitor local media for updates.
- Honduras: Protest Advisory | Expect widespread protests over recent election results to continue over the coming week causing disruptions throughout Honduras. The results of November 30’s elections have not been released amid a neck-and-neck race between the two leading candidates, which have led to allegations of election fraud. Protests have become commonplace, with many also aimed at rejecting comments made by U.S. President Trump who backs the current leading candidate. SafeAbroad travelers are advised to avoid all protests and to monitor local media.
Asia & Pacific
- South Korea: Travel Advisory | A rail strike will cause large disruptions to transportation throughout South Korea starting December 23. Rail workers that are unionized members of Korail will strike indefinitely starting at 9:00 AM on December 23 to changes to their pay structure. Korail and its subsidiaries are government owned operations that account for the largest train providers in the country. The strike will also have significant impact on KTX and greater-Seoul area metro services. Travelers are advised to reconfirm travel bookings, and to seek alternate forms of transportation where available.
- Taipei, Taiwan: Security Advisory | Expect heightened security in Taipei over the coming weeks following a knife attack on December 19. The recent attack left 3 dead and 11 injured before the attacker was killed in a police pursuit. While the immediate threat is over, the mayor of Taipei has pledged to increase security following the event. This will likely be felt even more near transportation hubs, as part of the recent attack took place outside of a major metro station. Travelers are advised to follow official directives and to monitor local media for updates.
- India: Protest Advisory | Nationwide protests will cause disruptions throughout India on December 23 over new nuclear legislation. The new legislation passed by the Indian government seeks to allow private companies to start participating on nuclear projects. Workers and many other citizens are concerned about the possible bypassing of nuclear safety barriers that were meticulously set up. Protest sizes are expected to vary by city and state, with the majority of protests to take place in city centers. SafeAbroad travelers are advised to avoid the protests and to leave and to monitor local media for signs of escalation.
Africa & Middle East
- Grootfontein, Namibia: Protest Advisory | Cholera will pose a threat to travelers following the declaration of a second outbreak in Namibia. A second outbreak was declared at the end of November, with cases tripling over the last couple weeks. Most cases occur north of the capital near Grootfontein, with a suspected 50 cases now reported. SafeAbroad travelers are advised to monitor themselves for symptoms and to report any found to a healthcare professional.
- Nairobi, Kenya: Security Advisory | Expect heightened security over the next week following the forced dispersal of a protest this morning, December 22. Families and friends of early Gen Z protesters who passed during demonstrations earlier this year were blocked from marching by authorities. Police used tear gas to force the protests to break up and arrested several people. SafeAbroad travelers are advised to avoid all protests and leave the area at the first sign of violence.
- Jerusalem, Israel: Protest Advisory | Protests will cause disruptions in Jerusalem, Israel this week over the government’s investigation into the October 7 failures. Demonstrators are voicing their opposition against a political appointments to a commission that will investigate the causes of the October 7 attack. Protests in the city have been organized by various group for the whole week. The morning of December 22 saw the first protest, where three people were arrested while trying to block the entrance of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office. Travelers are advised to avoid all protests and to monitor local media for updates.
