Hundreds stranded as chaos continues in Pacific paradise

It is not how most of us envisage New Caledonia. We tend to think of images like the one above.

But the political unrest in Noumea has led to scenes that are a long way from the idyllic beaches and French style we usually associate with the destination.

We've seen the ugliness on TV news bulletins; burning cars, smouldering buildings, broken windows and angry mobs roaming the streets.

They are scenes that will impact the tourism industry on Noumea for years to come.

France, the colonial ruling power, has declared as a state of emergency and extra police and troops are on the scene after six deaths.

The rioting followed planned changes to the New Caledonia constitution to allow long-term residents to vote in local elections, even if they no longer called the island home. 

Thousands of tourists, including Hundreds of Australians, now find themselves trapped on the island with their dream holiday having turned into a nightmare.

The airport, however, remains closed with protestors blocking entry roads.

Local carrier Aircalin, Qantas, Air New Zealand have all cancelled services indefinitely, while cruise ships are re-routing their ships.

Noumea has been one of the most popular and frequently visited destinations on cruise voyages from Australia. Whether that will return to normal remains to be seen.

Qantas has reported the airport will be closed until at least Tuesday. And those stranded have complained of zero assistance, or information, from consular officials and Australian government officials. 

To stay up to date see https://www.newcaledonia.travel/en

Fitou wine region tired of being overlooked

The Fitou AOC wine region in southern France is something of a well-kept secret - which is a source of some local angst.

The appellation in the Aude department produces stylish reds, sometimes with a rustic edge, usually made from a blend of carignan and grenache grapes.

But the grape growers and winemakers of Fitou have just thrown a wobbly by walking out on the Languedoc regional wine trade body (the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc or CIVL).

The Fitou producers say they have been overlooked by the CIVL when it comes to marketing and will formally leave the CIVL on December 31.

French wine news website Vitisphere.com, reported the vote to leave was held at a general meeting of the Fitou winegrowers' union last month with 34 votes in favour of leaving the CIVL, 20 votes against, and one abstention.

So not exactly an overwhelming majority in the secret ballot.

"Despite holding two conciliation commissions our demands haven't been met,” the head of the Fitou union, Alain Gleyzes, told Vitisphere.com.

"I don't want to fork out for petrol for a car I'm not getting a ride in," he said earlier. "I think I'd rather stab a tyre and tip sugar in the tank."

Among other grievances are the CIVL's reluctance to increase regional promotions in China.

“All promotional efforts go towards a flagship appellation - Languedoc - which, in the hierarchy of our appellations, is basically a lower-end denomination, a fallback if our wines are not at Fitou level," said Gleyzes.

This is not the first time Fitou has left the CIVL: it also dropped out of the regional body for five years between 2007 and 2012.

Sri Lanka aiming to lure back tourists

Sri Lanka has unveiled plans to issue longer visas to help revive its tourism sector.

The Tourism Ministry will extend visas from 30 days to over six months when visitors apply via Electronic Travel Authorisation, Travel Mole reports.

To be honest, I'm not sure how much that will help. 

Very few Australian tourists would want to visit for over a month - and the country's image has taken a recent battering.

The tourism industry in Sri Lanka has been struggling due to the both the Covid-19 pandemic and an ongoing economic crisis.

The Tourism Ministry said those on certain single entry visas can now stay up to 270 days, and multiple entry visas could potentially be extended for up to a year.

Sri Lanka, however, has been hit hard by political unrest with ongoing protests, curfews and blackouts.

Several countries have advised against non-essential travel to the island nation due to shortages of food, fuel and medicine.

The Sri Lankan government has also been heavily criticised by foreign diplomats and human rights organizations for its brutal crackdown on political protests.

Image: Nick Arundel, Scop.io