Travel roundup: Iceland urges tourists not to walk to erupting volcano

Authorities in Iceland on Thursday reiterated calls to tourists to avoid the site of a volcanic eruption, a spectacular show of spewing lava, after a hiker had to be rescued by helicopter this week. As soon as initial reports of the eruption emerged Monday, tourists and locals started to flock to sites where they could see the glowing river of lava for themselves.

"We recommend nobody should go," said Jona Jonas­dottir, a police officer in Keflavik. Police warned people to "think four times" before embarking on an "extremely challenging" hike to the eruption site, which is about a 12-mile round-trip trek. About 0.3 miles into the route, the path becomes difficult to cross because of rough lava.

"It can be assumed that it will take an experienced hiker about four to five hours to walk this route, which is not for everyone," the police statement said. In southwestern Iceland, there were about four hours of daylight Thursday.

Associated Press

Gov. Josh Green hopes that owners of 3,000 short-term rental units on Maui convert to long-term housing for victims — or face a ban on short-term rentals. His emergency proclamation following the Aug. 8 wildfires expires Jan. 4 and Green said that he could lay down "the nuclear hammer" in mid-January, "if necessary." Green estimates that Maui has 17,000 short-term rentals and another 8,000 illegal ones. So far, only a few dozen owners have agreed to rent their units for long-term use, he said. As of Dec. 15, 3,000 families representing 6,297 people were still living in hotels.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

The president of Kenya announced that visitors will no longer need a visa to enter the African country, starting in January. Reuters reported that President William Ruto said the government developed a "digital platform to ensure all visitors would receive an electronic travel authorization in advance, instead of needing to apply for a visa." Ruto said in October that Kenya would welcome travelers from across the continent without the need for a visa by the end of the year. "Kenya has a simple message to humanity: Welcome home," Ruto said. This year, Delta Air Lines announced an expanded partnership with Kenya Airways that includes the latter's nonstop Nairobi-to-New York service.