IX - BUSINESS TRAVEL

BUSINESS CUSTOMS - VISAS

U.S. VISITORS VISITING GABON SHOULD GET A VISA AT THE GABONESE
EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON OR AT THE GABONESE MISSION TO THE UNITED
NATIONS IN NEW YORK. YELLOW FEVER INOCULATIONS ARE REQUIRED.
LIBREVILLE IS HOT AND HUMID, LIGHTWEIGHT SUMMER CLOTHES ARE
RECOMMENDED.

HOLIDAYS

THE FOLLOWING GABONESE HOLIDAYS ARE OBSERVED IN GABON:
JANUARY 1 (NEW YEAR'S), BETWEEN MARCH AND APRIL (EASTER MONDAY),
MAY 1 (LABOR DAY), BETWEEN MAY AND JUNE (PENTECOST MONDAY),
AUGUST 15,16,17, (INDEPENDENCE DAY), NOVEMBER 1 (ALL SAINT'S
DAY), DECEMBER 25 (CHRISTMAS).  TWO MUSLIM HOLIDAYS ID EL FITR
AND THE LAST DAY OF RAMADAN ARE CELEBRATED IN GABON, BUT THEIR
DATES ARE KNOWN ONLY AT THE LAST MOMENT.

BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE

TRANSPORTATION: SEVERAL AIRLINES SERVE LIBREVILLE, INCLUDING AIR
GABON, SWISSAIR, SABENA, ROYAL AIR MAROC, AIR AFRIQUE, CAMEROON
AIRLINES, AIR FRANCE AND EQUATORIAL AIRLINES (SAO TOME). FLIGHT
TIME TO EUROPE IS AROUND 8 HOURS.  FLIGHT TIME TO THE U.S. VIA
EUROPE, INCLUDING A STOP OVER IN EUROPE IS AROUND 17 - 18 HOURS.
THE LIBREVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS LOCATED 10 KMS FROM THE
EMBASSY.  DOMESTIC AIR SERVICES LINK LIBREVILLE TO MAJOR CITIES,
SUCH AS PORT GENTIL, FRANCEVILLE AND OYEM. LOCAL AND LONG
DISTANCE TELEPHONE SERVICE IS AVAILABLE DAY AND NIGHT.  TELEPHONE
RATES ARE 15 TIMES HIGHER THAN IN THE U.S.  TAXIS ARE READILY
AVAILABLE AND CONVENIENT, IF YOU TAKE "UNE COURSE", A PRIVATE
TRIP, THE PRICE IS BETWEEN 1,000 TO 2,000 CFA FRANCS, DEPENDING
ON THE DISTANCE.  FRENCH IS GABON'S OFFICIAL LANGUAGE, FEW PEOPLE
SPEAK ENGLISH.

HOTELS: THE TWO MAIN HOTELS IN LIBREVILLE ARE THE OKOUME PALACE
INTERCONTINENTAL AND THE MERIDIEN RE-NDAMA. OKOUME PALACE: A 500
ROOM HOTEL WITH SOME APARTMENTS, IT IS JUST ACROSS THE BORD DE
MER FROM THE BEACH. TOWARDS THE AIRPORT ABOUT 5 KMS FROM THE
EMBASSY IT HAS A POOL, TENNIS, AND SQUASH COURTS, AND EXERCISE
ROOM/HEALTH SPA WITH AEROBICS CLASSES.  THERE ARE TWO
RESTAURANTS. MERIDIEN RE-NDAMA: SOUTH OF THE EMBASSY ON THE MAIN
ROAD. IT HAS A WELL SITUATED POOL ON THE BEACH SIDE OF THE HOTEL
AND TWO RESTAURANTS.

HEALTH: MALARIA IS ENDEMIC IN GABON, AN ANTIMALARIAL PROPHYLAXIS
IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED DURING YOUR VISIT IN GABON.  INSECTS SUCH
AS MOSQUITOES ARE EVERYWHERE, IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE  TO INSECT
BITES YOU ARE ADVISED TO USE A REPELLENT. DRINK ONLY BOILED OR
BOTTLED WATER WASH ALL SALADS, VEGETABLES AND FRUITS BEFORE
EATING.