Does an Airport count as a visit to a Country?

[lambysdad]

Recently seen a few people on FB using a map that shows how many Countries they have visited.
I wonder if they are counting passing through an Airport as 'visiting' the Country?

Some years ago I transferred through Bucharest, as I didn't leave the Airport I would not say that I have been to Romania.

What do you think?

[Kenty]

You can't dispute that they have been there, but it is similar to cruising where you only visit the high end shops on the jetty!

[simonrockman]

I've worked on the rule that you have to have had a meal to count it as a visit.

[SimonV8ster]

Does having a snack count ?

[LimaDelta]

Where do you draw the line? A stamp in your passport? Some people may never leave their holiday resort, does that count? What about people that only visit tourist attractions - have they seen the 'real' country? How about if you have to stay there long enough to pay tax? Or learn the language?

I usually count countries I have spent at least one night in. So a transit stop doesn't fit my criteria, but really, who actually cares? If you want it to count, then it does.

[simoid]

simonrockman said:

I've worked on the rule that you have to have had a meal to count it as a visit.

If your reason for being in the "country"/airport was merely as part of a journey, I think it's a bit cheeky to count it as a place you've been, as you've not experienced it.

An airport is really just a box - it could be anywhere and gives you basically no experience of the place it's located. And you probably only chose one airport over another for cost/convenience reasons. If you leave the airport, I think it counts as a visit

[98elise]

simoid said:

simonrockman said:

I've worked on the rule that you have to have had a meal to count it as a visit.

If your reason for being in the "country"/airport was merely as part of a journey, I think it's a bit cheeky to count it as a place you've been, as you've not experienced it.

An airport is really just a box - it could be anywhere and gives you basically no experience of the place it's located. And you probably only chose one airport over another for cost/convenience reasons. If you leave the airport, I think it counts as a visit

Thats how I would see it. If you haven't left the airport then you haven't visited the country.

[hidetheelephants]

Does it count if you visit a house of ill-repute?

[LimaDelta]

hidetheelephants said:

Does it count if you visit a house of ill-repute?

Definitely. At least nobody can accuse you of not sampling the, 'ahem' local delicacies?

[Puggit]

If you are in international transit, then technically you do not enter the country - you remain 'airside'.

Apart from for the USA, because those idiots don't understand the concept of international transit and force you to go through immigration and customs;

[HenryJM]

If you've not been through customs then in my view it doesn't count, although I've been to some places where I'm been through to a hotel at the airport, slept a while and back through immigration - I really wouldn't count one of those either.

[lambysdad]

hidetheelephants said:

Does it count if you visit a house of ill-repute?

Depends if it's a quick in and out!

Personally I wouldn't count it if I was in transit.
One of my 'friends' on FB is claiming 50+ Countries, which is possible in his line of work. But I am a little sceptical...if we could count the amount of times you've visited a Country I would score higher.
Dubai = 32

[Asterix]

No - you need to actually get out of the airport and at least have a bid of a wander round.

[simonrockman]

I've had plenty of trips where I've gone to a country, got a coach to an hotel, spent three days in the hotel being shown Powerpoint and then a coach back to the airport without really seeing anything of the country.

I did an Ericsson trip like that to Stockholm recently, all we saw outside the the meeting venues was an Italian restaurant and a Volvo dealership. I must have been to Denmark about thirty times but I don't think I could claim to have really visited the country. All the trips were to Copenhagen airport and then a train to Sweden.

At least as a motoring journalist you get to drive through the country and see some of it. Last time I counted I was at 39 countries. I don't think I've been to any more since. Of course Monaco counts.

I did claim to 40 to my girlfriend but she didn't spot that I'd listed "Brixton" as a separate nation - they do have their own currency.

She's on about 60, with the rule of having had a sit-down meal.

http://www.firebox.com/product/2811/My-Scratch-Map

Simon

Edited by simonrockman on Sunday 14th December 18:57

[The Tea Boy]

If your passport hasn't been stamped, you've not been (unless in europe or cuba!)
IMO

Matt

[krunchkin]

Puggit said:

If you are in international transit, then technically you do not enter the country - you remain 'airside'.

Apart from for the USA, because those idiots don't understand the concept of international transit and force you to go through immigration and customs;

On this note - why do those miserable bds from Homeland Security insisit on this? Was it installed post 911 or was it always the case? It causes huge amounts of stress and misery for people picking up connecting flights. Why should US customs and border control get to question you if you are not intending to enter the USA?

[Hugo a Gogo]

I spent 15 minutes, no kidding, in Timisoara, Romania

landed, off plane, through airport building, back out to another plane, take off

I'm counting that

[sneijder]

You have to step out of the Airport surely.

Heathrow is full of folk transiting from terminal to terminal, who do not have the correct documents to leave the airport.

If they are transiting without visa, how could they claim to have visited the UK ?

My office is airside, should I work tax free ?

[lambysdad]

simonrockman said:

http://www.firebox.com/product/2811/My-Scratch-Map

Do you know, I have been looking for something like that for years!

Thanks

I'm on over 30, just added a new one...Angola!
The other year I travelled on more than 100 flights in a 12 month period...but only visit 5 Countries!

[creampuff]

simonrockman said:

I've worked on the rule that you have to have had a meal to count it as a visit.

People use various yardsticks:

Any visit even the airport
Passing through an immigration checkpoint
Spending money on something
Eating a local ice cream
Shagging a member of the local population

Personally I do not count airport visits, but that has not excluded any countries for me either.

Edit: eh, I see somebody has already done the house of ill repute. What if the house of ill repute was on the airside area of the airport...?