Police say a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of a theme park in western Germany was a false alarm. A Halloween-themed event attended by thousands of people was disrupted.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Fassbender
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An amusement park near the German city of Bottrop was evacuated on Friday evening due to an alleged bomb threat.
Some 11,000 people had to leave the Movie Park Germany premises, located in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, following what turned out to be a false alarm.
Movie Park is a seasonal amusement park that centers on famous films.
Halloween event disrupted
On Friday, the park was celebrating a multi-day Halloween special, which included horror movie screenings, haunted houses, musical entertainment, rides and a children's Halloween section.
At 5:15 p.m. local time (1515 UTC), the park received a call from an unknown individual warning about a bomb.
Police arrived at the scene and after clearing several of the rides, eventually had to empty out the entire park.
Authorities said visitors exited the premises calmly and without incident. They've now launched an investigation.
In a post on its Facebook page, Movie Park said the safety of its customers was a top priority and thanked them for heeding the evacuation warning, adding that they could still use their tickets on any of the remaining days.
Authorities said that the bomb call almost certainly followed a dispute between visitors, and was meant to spoil the festivities.
Police did not provide too many details on the caller.
The park said it would open as usual on Saturday and that its Halloween-themed activities would continue.
Germany ranks 2nd in Lonely Planet's best travel destinations for 2019
The travel guide publisher says travelers can be part of Germany's 100th anniversary celebrations of the Bauhaus school of art and design. Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Kyrgyzstan are some of the countries atop the list.
Image: picture-alliance/imageBROKER/V. Wolf
100th anniversary Bauhaus
Germany secured second place in Lonely Planet's list of travel destinations for 2019. The travel guide publisher said travelers can be part of 100th anniversary celebrations of the legendary Bauhaus school of design and building. The school, founded in Weimar in 1919, flourished in Dessau and remains one of Germany's most successful cultural exports.
Image: DW / Nelioubin
Fall of Berlin Wall
Next year will also mark the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, arguably the most significant political event of the past 50 years. It would be a great opportunity for travelers to take part in the anniversary celebrations of the historic event that paved the way for Germany's unity.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/G. Malie
Sri Lanka
The island nation of Sri Lanka topped the list of travel destinations for 2019 in its new guide "Best in Travel 2019." The travel guide publisher said Sri Lanka, known for its temples, mix of religions and rich wildlife, was increasingly becoming a popular surfing destination.
Image: picture-alliance/robertharding/R. Francis
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe rounded out the top three in the list. Lonely Planet described the country as one of Africa’s safest destinations with ultra-friendly locals. The country boasts of national parks with all of Africa's biggest five animals, World Heritage-listed archaeological ruins, and the Victoria Falls.
Image: picture-alliance/JOKER/W. G. Allgöwer
Panama
Panama, best known for the eponymous canal connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans, bagged fourth position on the list. In 2019, capital Panama City is going to mark its 500-year history with a party that Lonely Planet described as "one raucous jubilee that you won’t want to miss."
Image: picture-alliance/D. Cupolo
Kyrgyzstan
The central Asian country occupies the fifth spot on the list. Kyrgyzstan made a splash on the global tourism scene following the wide interest around the 2018 World Nomad Games, a competition dedicated to the region's traditional regional sports. The country's new trekking routes, revamped national highways, and a simplified visa regime make it an attractive destination.
