Yemen:Foreign Office adds Yemen to list of dangerous destinations

By our Diplomatic Editor in London 

The British Foreign Office 29 December urged all British tourists to leave Yemen as soon as possible. It also updated its travel advice to warn anybody whose visit was not essential not to go to Yemen.
Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary Robin Cook said he was deeply shocked The Foreign Office advice will be sent to all tour operators who arrange holidays in Yemen, an increasingly popular destination. The 84,000 tourists last year included 6,385 Britons, most of who joined tours focusing on the country's medieval architecture, fortified villages and remote mountain ranges. It was also one of the most economical destinations. The new advice from the Foreign Office means that insurance companies are no longer covering Britons travelling to Yemen
Until 29 December the Foreign Office had simply warned tourists to be aware of the risk of "random kidnapping" in the country. It said that those abducted had generally been well-treated and were eventually released after mediation. 
Many British visitors on organised tours are older professional people, able to afford prices of about £2,000 for 15-day tours. However, younger tourists have been attracted recently by opportunities to visit remote areas of the ancient home of the Queen of Sheba. 
Although there are few Britons living in Yemen, many Yemenis have British passports and Yemenis constitute the biggest Arab community in Britain, including the renowned boxer "Prince" Naseem Hamed. Most settled in Cardiff and other ports generations ago when British ships made regular runs to Aden which was a British protectorate until 1967 when Labour Government of Harold Wilson gave them independent after an armed uprising that lasted five years.