Hype: DP World Tours Now Available.

[RYP]

"and author who writes with such macho swagger you can practically smell the testosterone wafting off the pages. "

what if its an ebook?

[RYP]

http://www.periscopepost.com/2010/12/a- ... o-die-for/

A vacation to die for?
Planning a Christmas holiday trip? You have already been to Egypt? India is not exotic enough? Safari in Botswana is not a real adventure? How about Iraq for a change, or Afghanistan, or Somalia, Darfur or Communist North Korea perhaps?
A Swiss travel agency is offering the most dangerous vacation experiences to some wealthy clients. Babel Travel started its Swiss based business recently and is now looking for the first clients to book a trip to a war and conflict zone. In co-operation with US-Journalist Robert Young Pelton (author of “The World’s Most Dangerous Places”), Babel Travel organizes 11-45 day trips to several countries tourists usually avoid – for a good reason. The foreign ministries of almost every Western nation tell tourists not to travel to these regions as the danger of getting kidnapped, killed by bombs, mines or ambushes is high and unnecessary risks are taken.
Planning a winter holiday? How about Iraq for a change?
Kevin Pollard, head of Babel Travel which opened its office in Zug, Switzerland, told me, that there was a high demand from clients for vacation trips to countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan or Yemen. “We’ve had a lot of interest so far,” Pollard says, “many travel companies have been offering trips to Afghanistan and Iraq over the years so travel to these countries is improving.” From all the countries available at Babel Travel, “Iraq would be the most dangerous,” Kevin Pollard told me. “Afghanistan second. Countries that have experienced war and serious conflict (Lebanon, Cambodia, Rwanda, Algeria, Colombia, Bosnia, Iran) have all opened up for tourists over the last 5-10 years. We hope and expect the same to happen in the countries we’re running trips to.”
In Afghanistan, Babel Travel has an “Afghanistan Uncovered” package available for booking. The 15-day trip will take you from capital Kabul to Mazar i-Sharif, Bagram, Herat and hiking in the Panjshir and Bamiyan Valley. A stay in a Pashtun village with locals is also included. “This trip will give you an insight into the new conflict that continues to tear the country apart,” the brochure reads. Price per person is USD $9,500.
In war-torn Somalia, tourists can experience living with tribesmen and nomads in the northern break-away region of Somaliland.
An XXL-package (45-days), including a trip from the Iraqi cities Baghdad to Najaf, Karbala, Babylon and Ur, through Iranian Persepolis, Esfahan and Shiraz, to Afghanistan, will cost you US $26,000. Babel Travel also offers a 15-day Iraq journey, taking a group of tourists from Baghdad to the Kurdish North and Shiite South for US $8,500.
In war-torn Somalia, tourists are able to experience living with tribesmen and nomads in the northern break-away region of Somaliland. The US $6,500 trip includes “speak with jailed pirates, go on an anti-piracy patrol, discuss politics with the Somaliland President and various tribal elders.”
If you’re scared off by these destinations where a bomb blast or a bullet hitting is not that unlikely, Babel Travel has another country on its list which might interest you: the most isolated country on the planet: Communist Jurassic Park – North Korea. “Experience how Koreans spend their Day-to-Day life,” the Babel brochure for 15-day “Eternal North Korea” trip reads. “Learn about the North Korean Juche (“military first”) idea and how Koreans perceive the world.”
I asked Babel Director Pollard how his agency is able to organize these travels to the most remote and closed Communist dictatorship. “The local travel company we’ve gone into partnership with has been running tours to North Korea for westerners since 1993,” Pollard explained. “Our trips are the only trips that stay in local Korean homestay (meeting and staying with real Korean families).”
Asked about how the risks taken by the tourists are dealt with and how Babel can assure maximum safety in these dangerous countries, Pollard answered: “We use Robert Young Pelton’s 30 years of local travel experience, careful planning, impressive local networks and excellent risk management.” One of the key factors why Babel has started business in this field is to “provide open-minded and adventurous travelers the opportunity to understand political and environmental factors behind conflicts” and to “introduce to the world certain countries that have seen troubles but are now working through their issues and have become stable and safe.”
However in case of emergency, Pollard said, “we have an emergency telephone number in Switzerland, Australia, as well the in the local country that the trips are in.” Most of the clients of Babel are from the US, UK, EU, Australia and Canada, he tells me. In January, the company will organize their first trips to Iraq, Somaliland and Afghanistan for invited clients and journalists only.
Up to today, Babel Travel has not arranged a tourist trip to the war and conflict zones, but it is already planning on expanding the range of destinations. Myanmar, Liberia, Yemen and Colombia are expected to be added to the brochures soon.

[LechoZX]

"and author who writes with such macho swagger you can practically smell the testosterone wafting off the pages. "

what if its an ebook?

My Kindle has smell-o-vision.

[Borsippa]

22/12/2010
Austrian Times
We'll fight them on the Beaches
http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Around ... he_Beaches


We'll fight them on the Beaches

Thrill-seeking tourists are being offered package holidays in some of the world's most dangerous war zones.

Travel agents Babel Travel and survival expert Robert Young Pelton have teamed up to lead guided visits to Afghanistan, Somalia and the Sudan.

"We offer what I call 'cultural engagement trips'," said Kevin Pollard, owner of Babel Travel in Zug, Switzerland.

Travel security expert Robert Young Pelton - author of the best selling World's Most Dangerous Places guide - will advise on safety on the trips.

Kevin Pollard added: "This isn't for voyeurs but it's the only way professionals, intellectuals, and modern day explorers can visit the world’s most inaccessible places with comfort, security and insight."

But reality doesn't come cheap. A 45-day tour of Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan costs 22,200 GBP.

[rickshaw92]

All that french stuff is as gay as gay can be and that is totally gay. I charge more for the French, do you?

[Borsippa]

All that french stuff is as gay as gay can be and that is totally gay. I charge more for the French, do you?

http://i56.tinypic.com/1111l7c.jpg. Fuck, Iran. This delightful little village is located only 8km from the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. I'm sure we'll hear the locals scream this when their mates the Israeli's drop in...

[Borsippa]

http://www.tourmag.com/Gout-du-risque-B ... 42386.html

Goût du risque ? Babel Travel vous garantit l'adrénaline !
voyager dans les zones les plus dangereuses
Alors que les derniers touristes français quittent le Sahel, devenu trop risqué, un TO suisse vient de lancer des séjours dans les zones les plus dangereuses de la planète : l’Afghanistan, l'Irak, le Somaliland, la Corée du Nord ou le Sud-Soudan, sont au programme de ces voyage à but touristique mais aussi humanitaire. Reste à de prémunir d’une bonne assurance...


Pour le dépaysement vos clients seront servis, mais ce sera peut-être le voyage d'une vie... /ph.dr
Pour le dépaysement vos clients seront servis, mais ce sera peut-être le voyage d'une vie... /ph.dr
Se balader sur les marchés de Bagdad, visiter la ville sainte de Karbala, admirer les ruines de Babylone ou des bouddhas afghans, explorer les frontières de la guerre froide nord-coréenne ou discuter avec les pirates emprisonnés au Somaliland.

Aussi étonnant qu’il puisse paraître, ce programme est celui d’une agence de voyage : Babel Travel.

Ce TO immatriculé en Suisse depuis 2008 propose depuis décembre dernier aux voyageurs "ouverts d’esprit et aventureux" l’opportunité de "comprendre les facteurs politiques et environnementaux derrières les conflits".

Il insiste sur leur engagement et leur implication.

« Nous voulons faire éclater la bulle touristique pour confronter nos clients au monde réel » explique son directeur, Kevin Pollard. Pour chaque séjour, 5% est reversé aux organismes de bienfaisance visités sur place.

La sécurité avant tout
L’Afghanistan, l’Irak, l’Iran, la Corée du Nord, le Somaliland et le Soudan sont pour l’instant au programme.

Ces voyages ont été conçu avec l’aide de l’écrivain journaliste Robert Young Pelton. Ce canadien auteur du livre The World’s Most Dangerous Places (en anglais) couvre depuis 30 ans tous les conflits du globe.

Grâce à son expertise ainsi qu’à ses nombreux contacts, Babel Travel assure offrir des conditions de sécurité optimales.

« Dans les cas extrêmes, il peut être nécessaire d’annuler ou de reporter le voyage» précise quand même le site.

On peut toutefois se demander de quelle façon il est possible d’assurer un minimum de sécurité dans certaines zones d’Afghanistan, où deux journalistes français sont toujours retenus en otages.

Une assurance onéreuse
Une telle organisation a un coût. Comptez 85 000€ pour le circuit de 45 jours en Irak, Iran et Afghanistan, 5200 € pour la Corée du Nord ou 12 000€ pour le Soudan.

Pour le moment l’agence annonce 9 ventes et beaucoup d’intéressés.

On ne saurait que trop conseiller à ces 9 aventuriers de prendre une bonne assurance. En effet, rappelons que les parlementaires français ont voté en juillet dernier un texte qui stipule que les otages devront désormais rembourser leurs frais de sauvetage.

Babel Travel propose de son coté l’assureur canadien Ingle.

En France, le courtier TMS Contact nous assure qu’il peut couvrir ce type de séjour.

« Nous pouvons intervenir, tant que les frontières ne sont pas fermées et que les avions peuvent décoller » assure Bertrand Guislain, le responsable marketing. Néanmoins, l’addition risque d’être salée...

Laury-Anne CHOLEZ
Article lu 41 fois
Mercredi 12 Janvier 2011

[JamesInTheWorld]

How is this going for you RYP?

I have always guessed it is easier to sell the premium priced tours than less expensive ones

Like Nat Geo had some 1800's British style jungle tours complete with 4* meals prepared by an executive chef on china in the Amazon that were always sold out

~JITW

[Texas Carnie Roadshow]

If these weren't so damned expensive, I'd be pretty interested in the North Korea trip.
It'd be interesting to see the other side of the dmz.

[Borsippa]

If these weren't so damned expensive, I'd be pretty interested in the North Korea trip.
It'd be interesting to see the other side of the dmz.

Discounts apply. PM me mate.

[seektravelinfo]

If these weren't so damned expensive, I'd be pretty interested in the North Korea trip.
It'd be interesting to see the other side of the dmz.

I so agree. North Korea is most definitely on my go-to but can't get there list. Of all the countries included and listed with these tours, this is the one I'd take.
If I were a rich woman.

[Borsippa]

If these weren't so damned expensive, I'd be pretty interested in the North Korea trip.
It'd be interesting to see the other side of the dmz.

I so agree. North Korea is most definitely on my go-to but can't get there list. Of all the countries included and listed with these tours, this is the one I'd take.
If I were a rich woman.

Discounts apply for all BFC members. PM if keen.

[Borsippa]

If these weren't so damned expensive, I'd be pretty interested in the North Korea trip.
It'd be interesting to see the other side of the dmz.

I so agree. North Korea is most definitely on my go-to but can't get there list. Of all the countries included and listed with these tours, this is the one I'd take.
If I were a rich woman.

Seektravelinfo, can you please email me at kevinp@babeltravel.com

[Borsippa]

http://www.focus.de/reisen/urlaubstipps ... 97993.html

[Borsippa]

Any last minute takers for the April 18th Afghanistan trip? http://www.babeltravel.com/site/html/to ... overed.php. Discounts apply for BFC members. Email me at kevinp@babeltravel.com for more info.