Voodoo dances and rituals wow tourists at Benin festival

The stunning azure waters of the Band-e Amir lakes are once again attracting Afghan tourists, who brave bumpy roads to experience the so-called 'Grand Canyon' of Afghanistan.

It is the first time India has opened its borders to foreign travelers since imposing a strict lockdown in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID.

Some people consider snakes as cursed, which motivates the capture of these reptiles for witchcraft rituals. It has led to the creation of a rescue group that's already making important discoveries with the recovered animals.

New Zealand has opened its borders to tourists for the first time in over two years. Meanwhile, Germany recorded no COVID deaths in a day for the first time since September 2020. DW has the latest.

Recent visitors to France will no doubt have noticed the return of foreign tourists. Two years of Covid-19 took a heavy toll on what is otherwise a booming business and an important part of the French economy. Now things appear to be looking up again for the tourist industry. For decades, France has been the number one tourism destination in the world, ahead of Spain and the US. So what explains this lasting success? We take a closer look in this edition of French Connections.

Japan was one of the last countries in the world to keep its borders shut to foreign tourists because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but that is slowly changing. The government is cautiously taking steps to revive tourism. But in a crucial election year and with the border restrictions popular among voters, it's a tricky balancing act for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. We speak to Professor Seijiro Takeshita from the University of Shizuoka.

Village of Books attracts tourists. Literature fans are drawn to Urueña, a small Spanish village with a multitude of bookshops.

Foreign governments are concerned the new legislation, which awaits presidential ratification, could impact foreigners visiting the country. Indonesia's Bali island is a major tourist hub.

Caught up in the unrest that gripped Peru following the ouster of President Pedro Castillo, tourists visiting the Machu Picchu ruins have finally been able to leave the area. Stranded for days, they were relieved when rail links were partially restored. But it was not an easy trip.

After two years of muted celebrations due to the coronavirus, visitors returned to Bethlehem to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Pilgrims were taking part in traditional Christmas procession and midnight Mass.

On Benin's national voodoo holiday, performers dressed as guardians of the night swirled in their costumes like technicolour haystacks, delighting worshippers and tourists alike.

The recent introduction of new denominations of naira in Nigeria causes a chaotic rush to get the old notes out of circulation by the end of January. Also, Ivory Coast has raised its minimum wage as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis. And Cape Town tourists are warned not to seal their fate as some of the usually docile mammals start attacking humans.