You have the opportunity to visit a foreign country for two weeks. Which country would you like to visit?

Use specific reasons and details to explain your choice.

Reasonable’ does not adequately describe a specific country, and ‘expensive’ does not adequately describe a specific country.

Considering both costs and accessibility, which country would you choose to visit?

The answer given implies that the country to be visited would be one that can be reached easily and inexpensively. This is misleading. Countries that are popular or trendy to visit can quickly become exceedingly expensive due to price inflation. The Maldives, for instance, are a popular destination for luxury vacations because of their clear waters, sandy beaches, and resorts. However, in 2018, the Maldivian government introduced an excise tax of almost 25% on hotel stays, which essentially doubled the prices. In addition, the airport is located on an island, making transportation to and from the resort an expensive excursion. Although these resorts may initially be affordable, the tourists quickly find themselves spending more than they are willing to, and from the tourist’s perspective, the cost of their vacation has dramatically risen. Similarly, Iceland is a popular destination due to its natural beauty. However, in 2015, the government instituted an income tax of 32% on all incomes, including income from tourism, which raised the price of a hotel room by 30%. This tax, in addition to increased transportation costs, led to a decrease in tourism to the country.

People often choose to visit countries based on the availability of flights, so countries with airports in large cities are likely to experience more tourism. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, in 2008, a then 16-year old boy named Vladislav Roslyakov used his knowledge of computer programming to hack into Malaysia Airlines’ reservation system. He accessed the airline’s computer reservations system and booked a flight to Amsterdam, Netherlands, using the credit card of his mother, Tatiana Potapova. The flight was paid for with cash, and the young man arrived in Amsterdam, where he was arrested. While Roslyakov was imprisoned, Potapova received an angry call from the airline that her son had attempted to book a flight to Dubai, Turkey, using her credit card. Potapova’s credit card company issued her a $1,500 bill for the purchase. This incident illustrates that hackers can gain access to even the most secure computer systems, and this, in turn, can increase the price of air travel.

Given how easy it is to hack into a computer reservation system or passport database, it is a poor decision to choose a country that can be easily reached and traveled. Instead, consideration should be given to a country with reasonable security, but which can be difficult to travel to. For example, in 2016, a terrorist cell from Somalia attempted to board a flight from Istanbul, Turkey, to Kenya, using a fake Nigerian passport. While the passengers on the flight were delayed, the terrorists were able to board the plane. When the plane landed in Nairobi, Kenya, the terrorists shot and killed 67 people. While the incident is an extreme example of a potentially costly travel decision, it illustrates that the more remote the country is, the higher the risk of an attack. Such increased security measures and the possibility of violence are major considerations when choosing where to travel.

One thing that is certain is that every country has its own advantages and disadvantages. For the traveler, it is a matter of weighing the advantages and disadvantages, and choosing the country that will best accommodate his or her needs.

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