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How to cruise responsibly in over-touristed destinations across Europe

How to cruise responsibly in over-touristed destinations across Europe

Economic Times3 days ago
Agencies As several European cities tighten rules on cruise tourism due to overtourism concerns, travellers can still explore these popular destinations by choosing more responsible and less disruptive alternatives. Tour operators and tourism boards are encouraging visitors to opt for smaller, low-impact vessels instead of large ocean liners, which are now facing stricter docking limits and higher levies.Instead of large ships that carry thousands of passengers, travellers can choose sailing yachts, clippers, or small-group vessels. These allow access to destinations while reducing environmental impact and easing pressure on local infrastructure. According to Riviera Travel, smaller boats also provide more intimate travel experiences and are often exempt from the most stringent port restrictions.
In Venice, where large ships over 25,000 gross tons are banned from the historic Giudecca Canal, visitors can now arrive by yacht or smaller vessels, as per Euro News. These offer up-close views of the Doge's Palace, St. Mark's Basilica, and other landmarks, without adding to the city's tourism strain. Similarly, Palma de Mallorca has capped cruise arrivals to three ships per day, with only one large vessel allowed. A clipper cruise, sailing on a traditional tall ship, allows travellers to explore the Balearic Islands without contributing to overcrowding at ports. Such cruises make it possible to step off and visit the Gothic cathedral, walk the Old Town, or take in the island's coastline without major disruption.Dubrovnik, which limits daily cruise ship arrivals to two vessels carrying a total of 8,000 passengers, can also be visited by sea through small-boat sailing tours. Travellers can explore Croatia's Adriatic coast and visit historic cities like Dubrovnik with less impact on local communities.
Many destinations have introduced new regulations to manage tourism volumes. Greece's islands of Santorini and Mykonos now charge a €20 cruise passenger tax during peak season. Cannes in France will cut the number of large ships and limit passenger numbers starting next year. Cities like Barcelona and Amsterdam are also scaling back cruise activity, with the Dutch capital aiming for a full phase-out by 2035. Norway will begin allowing local tourist taxes on cruise passengers from next summer.
These restrictions reflect a growing movement across Europe to balance tourism with environmental and cultural preservation. While access to major destinations is changing, responsible cruising through smaller, sustainable means ensures visitors can still experience Europe's coastlines without contributing to its overcrowding challenges.
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Exclusive: 'Radhika Merchant's Family Was Perfectionist'; With Alanna Panday's Wedding, Feedback Was Crisp', Reveal Celebrity Wedding Card Designer Ranjani From Pink Whistle Man
Exclusive: 'Radhika Merchant's Family Was Perfectionist'; With Alanna Panday's Wedding, Feedback Was Crisp', Reveal Celebrity Wedding Card Designer Ranjani From Pink Whistle Man

India.com

timean hour ago

  • India.com

Exclusive: 'Radhika Merchant's Family Was Perfectionist'; With Alanna Panday's Wedding, Feedback Was Crisp', Reveal Celebrity Wedding Card Designer Ranjani From Pink Whistle Man

Big fat Indian weddings are game changers not just for the families involved but also for all those work on it to make it happen smoothly - right from the word go. Celebrity Wedding Card Designer Pink Whistle Man's founder Ranjani in an interview with Zee News Digital shared how the company came about and what bizarre requests they get for special invites: 1. What's the story behind Pink Whistle Man? A: I started it PWM about twelve years ago unofficially, when I designed my own wedding stationery. I found a huge gap in the market when it came to personalisation and detailing of Wedding Invitations. Gradually, I started designing for friends and family which extended to clients who came to me through word of mouth. We began expanding our services and creating end-to-end stationery for weddings, and personalised stationery that you would not particularly get in a mass manufacturing market. So even the products that we would design were limited to just that wedding alone to maintain exclusivity. Over the years the brand has been recognized both in the Indian and International wedding markets and been awarded for its unique conceptual ideas over the years. 2. You've created invites shaped like X-rays, passports, and even electrical circuits. What has been your most bizarre or unexpected brief from a client? A: Our clients always help us push the envelope and keep the brief pretty open ended. Although there was this one bizarre incident when we opted to do flying balloon parachute invites that would float into the house of the guests. This was a birthday invite. We personally had to deliver each of these invites to every household with a pump because we didn't know if the balloon would burst, and if it did, we had to replace it quickly. 3. How big have destination weddings been in the last few years? Also, could you tell us about the preferences of global clientele? A: Destination weddings have been huge. The advantage for a designer such as myself is you get to be part of the entire look and feel of the wedding. It's almost like a brand for the wedding right from the get-go. In one case, a couple from Jalandhar had their wedding at Wildflower Shimla, and had blocked out the whole airport for two days. We designed hoardings, flight covers, food boxes and even live-report newspapers printed locally with photographs and real-time updates from the three-day event. In terms of global weddings, if it's an Indian or mixed-race wedding we design seating charts, table numbers, program description handbooks. And because of Instagram and Pinterest, there's a two-way exchange: India is now asking for seating charts and intimate-dinner stationery, while the west borrows the grandeur of wedding stationery. We even design the dance floor for several weddings abroad. 4. Tell us about your designing experience with Radhika Merchant's family for the big-scale wedding. A: With Radhika's wedding, things just flew by so quickly and I was experimenting on a lot of things for the first time. Given the time constraints, it was nothing short of a miracle how we managed to get it done. We were fortunate in finding the right craftsmen and vendors, and the family was definitely very cooperative. I would have meetings with them literally every day, sometimes even late at night to go through proofs. They were extreme perfectionists, wanting to see every tiny change, because they didn't want any surprises. 5. How easy or difficult was it to design for Alanna Panday's wedding? A: With Alanna's wedding, I worked mainly with her mother, Deanne. Alanna and Ivor were in the loop, and they were both very easy to work with. Feedback was crisp and clear. Deanne's perfectionism was extremely admirable. 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China Opens Its Gates Wider: 74 Nations Now Eligible For Visa-Free Entry; Is India On The List?
China Opens Its Gates Wider: 74 Nations Now Eligible For Visa-Free Entry; Is India On The List?

India.com

time2 hours ago

  • India.com

China Opens Its Gates Wider: 74 Nations Now Eligible For Visa-Free Entry; Is India On The List?

Beijing/New Delhi: China has made its move. Without much fanfare, it has quietly flung open its doors to tourists from 74 countries. No visa. No long forms. No consulate queues. Just walk in and stay for up to 30 days. This shift is no small gesture. It signals a new phase in China's outreach – aimed squarely at reviving tourism, boosting its struggling economy and rebranding its image abroad. And the numbers? They are already telling the story. Over 20 million foreign tourists entered China without visas in 2024. That is nearly a third of all international arrivals. A full double of what the country saw last year. The National Immigration Administration released the data with quiet pride. The message behind the statistics was loud enough – China wants visitors, and it is willing to make it easy. On the cobbled grounds of Beijing's Temple of Heaven, a Georgian traveller named Giorgi Shavadze looked around and smiled. 'Applying for a visa is a hassle. This change makes it so much easier to visit,' he said. In December 2023, China first rolled out visa-free entry for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. Then came more. Europe saw country after country added to the list. Latin America got a slice too – five nations joined in June, followed by Uzbekistan. Then came the Middle East. Four countries from the region were given access. And on July 16, Azerbaijan will officially be added, taking the count to 75. India, however, remains off the list. Tour operators in China are gearing up. Domestic tourists still make up the bulk of the footfall, but this summer, foreign travellers are expected to return in force. Travel firms are preparing for packed tour buses and busy city streets. Shanghai-based confirmed the trend. In the first three months of 2024, hotel bookings, flight reservations and tour packages for China doubled compared to the same time last year. Three-fourths of these tourists? They came from visa-exempt countries. America still sends the most visitors. About 30% of business comes from the United States. But there is a visible shift. European tourists, once a negligible 5% in pre-pandemic days, now form nearly 20%. So, why now? Observers point to a mix of motives. China's economy needs a boost. Global perception needs a reset. Tourism helps with both. And with countries like Japan and South Korea tightening entry rules, Beijing's relaxed stance looks even more attractive. But there is also geopolitics. India's absence from the list has not gone unnoticed. Despite booming trade and regular diplomatic exchanges, tensions around border disputes and regional rivalry still cast a shadow. Until that fog clears, it seems unlikely Indian citizens will get the visa-free green light. For now, the dragon is welcoming – but only to those it chooses.

PM Modi makes cricket references in speech in Namibia Parliament, wishes success in co-hosting 2027 Cricket World Cup
PM Modi makes cricket references in speech in Namibia Parliament, wishes success in co-hosting 2027 Cricket World Cup

India Gazette

time4 hours ago

  • India Gazette

PM Modi makes cricket references in speech in Namibia Parliament, wishes success in co-hosting 2027 Cricket World Cup

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