Latest news with #ETTravelWorld
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Germany Air Traffic Tax: Germany intends to reverse increase in air traffic tax, Bild reports, ETTravelWorld
Advt Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. All about ETTravelWorld industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETTravelWorld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. Germany intends to reverse an increase in air traffic tax unpopular with airlines, something which will be discussed by the coalition government as part of budget considerations for 2026, the Bild newspaper reported on airlines have long complained that flying to and from German airports is too expensive and threatened to reduce their presence in the country, with budget carrier Ryanair among the loudest critics."The increase in air traffic tax must be cancelled, and charges at German airports must also be reduced," the newspaper quoted Christoph Ploss, the government's tourism policy coordinator , as transport ministry will push for a reversal of the tax increase, according to the report. Shares in Lufthansa spiked briefly after the news by 2.2 per cent . The coalition government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz has vowed to ease the financial burden on aviation, including by reversing the higher air traffic tax, but had not given a timeline in its coalition Finance Minster Lars Klingbeil is expected to present the draft 2026 budget next week, with companies watching closely for promised relief despite pressure on state coffers from ramped-up spending on defence and economic uncertainty. The air traffic tax increase came into effect in May 2024, raising the surcharge for short-haul flights from 12.48 euros per ticket to 15.53 said the previous government, led by the Social Democrats who are now junior partners in the current coalition, had made holidays more expensive for millions of Germans."A well-deserved holiday in Mallorca must not become unaffordable," he added.A reversal "would be a first and urgent step in the right direction," Ralph Beisel, head of the ADV airports association, said in a statement to Reuters. "A reorientation of aviation policy is needed in our country."
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Turkey's Visa Issues: EU Eases Schengen Regulations Amid Calls for Visa-Free Travel, ETTravelWorld
Advt Advt Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. All about ETTravelWorld industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETTravelWorld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. The European Union has eased rules for Turks to use its open-border Schengen area, the bloc's ambassador to Ankara said on Friday, calling for the urgent revival of negotiations on visa-free travel for years, Turks have complained about the EU's visa system. The EU has said the processes - managed by accredited visa agencies - have been slow due to the high number of applications and that it is discussing possible workarounds with Ankara. Ambassador Thomas Hans Ossowski said the new rules would help address Turks' complaints over long bureaucratic processes but warned it was not enough to permanently solve the problems."It will be much easier and much faster for Turkish citizens," Ossowski told reporters in Ankara, referring to the European Commission's new decision, in effect since July 15, simplifying the path to multiple-entry visas for who previously used visas correctly will be eligible for a six-month visa as early as their second application, followed by one-year, three-year and five-year multiple-entry foreign ministry welcomed the move and said Turkish institutions and the EU Commission would keep seeking further visa Minister Omer Bolat said the measure was a "facilitation that our citizens have been awaiting for a long time".Bolat also told the state-owned Anadolu news agency that Turkey wanted to start talks on modernising a customs union with the EU and for the scope of the accord to expand into the service and e-commerce has been an EU membership candidate since 1999 but its accession process has been frozen for years over issues ranging from human rights to democratic backsliding. There have recently been signs of increased engagement and economic said the EU had for more than a decade offered Turkey the prospect of visa-free travel and stressed the need to return to the liberalisation process."Every other candidate country has visa-free travel except Turkey," he said. "It is urgent to re-engage in this process of visa-free travel in the Schengen space and the EU," he Commission is ready to restart formal negotiations after the summer and work with Ankara on fulfilling the six remaining benchmarks required by the visa liberalisation roadmap, he said."We are ready, the Commission is ready to work closely with Turkish authorities," he said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Medical Tourism India: India Aims to Lead Global Medical Tourism by 2035, ETTravelWorld
Advt By , ETTravelWorld Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. All about ETTravelWorld industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETTravelWorld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. India has announced an ambitious plan to become the world's leading destination for medical and wellness tourism by 2035. The announcement was made at the Heal in India 2025 Summit with the launch of the flagship report by the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) and KPMG India , titled 'Heal in India: Catalysing Medical and Wellness Tourism for a Healthier Global Future'.The summit was inaugurated by Suman Billa, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, who emphasised the critical role of building trust, enhancing care delivery, and sustaining service quality in achieving this vision. Billa stressed the need to expand beyond traditional metro cities and encourage participation from stakeholders in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to make healthcare more accessible for international already attracts more than two million medical tourists annually from over 75 countries. In 2024, over 463,000 medical visas were issued, reflecting the sector's growing global importance. With its high-quality treatment at competitive prices and strong traditional medicine systems, India is poised to expand its market from USD 18.2 billion in 2025 to USD 58.2 billion by Manoj Nesari, Adviser (Ayurveda), Ministry of Ayush, pointed to India's strengths in holistic healing through Ayurveda and Yoga , which could be key differentiators for global wellness seekers . FHRAI President K. Syama Raju described Heal in India as a 'national branding opportunity,' reinforcing the image of India as a destination not just for treatment, but for complete recovery and India's Someswara Koundinya, a co-author of the report, called the document a strategic call to action. He underlined the need for digital transformation, global outreach, multilingual capacity-building, and incentivising private investment to position India as a healthcare Heal in India mission envisions stronger collaboration across tourism, health, and policy sectors. With growing international demand and robust domestic capability, India is positioning itself not just as a centre of medical excellence, but as a global leader in healing and hospitality.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
US Embassy in India Issues Warning: Visa Holders Risk Revocation Over Crimes, ETTravelWorld
Advt Advt Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. All about ETTravelWorld industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETTravelWorld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. The US Embassy in India has cautioned that committing crimes such as assault, theft, or burglary in the United States could result in serious consequences beyond legal troubles, including visa revocation."Committing assault, theft, or burglary in the United States won't just cause you legal issues - it could lead to your visa being revoked and make you ineligible for future US visas. The United States values law and order and expects foreign visitors to follow all US laws," the embassy said in an official statement underscores that adherence to US laws is mandatory for all foreign visitors, with violations potentially impacting future travel advisory comes amid growing concerns over the conduct of some visa holders. In one such recent case, an Indian woman reportedly spent more than seven hours inside a Target store on May 1, collecting items worth USD 1,300 (around Rs 1.1 lakh), before allegedly attempting to leave without paying. The incident went viral after a store employee confronted her, and footage of the exchange circulated widely the seriousness of its stance, the US Embassy reiterated on Saturday that visa screening continues even after a visa is granted, stressing that criminal behaviour can not only jeopardise an individual's current visa status but also affect their eligibility for future entry into the country."US visa screening does not stop after a visa is issued. We continuously check visa holders to ensure they follow all US laws and immigration rules - and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don't," the Embassy said in a post on statement underscores the United States' ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with its immigration laws and reinforces that visa holders must adhere strictly to all legal requirements during their part of broader efforts to tighten screening, a related announcement was made last month. In a move aimed at strengthening visa screening procedures, the United States has announced that effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are required to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under US a post on X, the official handle of the US Embassy in India (@USAndIndia) shared the announcement stating, "Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all of their personal social media accounts to 'public' to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States."It also reiterated that since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application post added: "We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting to identify visa applicants who are inadmissible to the United States, including those who pose a threat to US national security."Meanwhile, the US government has also unveiled a sweeping new 2025 travel ban, barring nationals from 12 countries entirely and partially limiting visa access from seven others. The move prioritises national security and focuses on countries deemed high-risk for security loopholes and terrorism concerns. Most affected countries are reportedly in the Middle East and from these nations now face a total ban on immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including those for tourism, education, and employment. Simultaneously, seven other countries face partial restrictions, involving tighter screening or limited visa growing concern in South Asia, the US has clarified that India is not on the list. The US is continuing to process applications for Indian nationals across all categories, including B1/B2 tourist visas, H1B work permits, and F1 student visa applicants from India still face long delays due to high demand and administrative backlog. Most US consulates in India are booking interview slots up to 10-12 months in while India remains unaffected by the new travel ban, long processing times may still impact travel plans, education, and employment opportunities for many.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
IHCL Collaborates with Indian Army and REACHA to Launch Skill Centre in Uri on World Youth Skills Day 2025, ETTravelWorld
Advt By , ETTravelWorld Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. All about ETTravelWorld industry right on your smartphone! Download the ETTravelWorld App and get the Realtime updates and Save your favourite articles. In a continued push for inclusive growth and skill development, Indian Hotels Company ( IHCL ) has partnered with REACHA (Research & Extension Association for Conservation Horticulture and Agro-Forestry) and the Indian Army to establish a new skill development centre in Uri, Jammu & Kashmir . The announcement coincides with World Youth Skills Day initiative targets the empowerment of local youth through vocational training and entrepreneurship support . The Uri centre will offer specialised courses in bakery and fashion design (weaving), enabling participants to access sustainable livelihood opportunities within and beyond their Pokhariyal, Executive Vice President – Human Resources, IHCL, said, 'On World Youth Skills Day, IHCL reaffirms its commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable future through skill development. Guided by our ESG+ framework, Paathya, we aim to skill 1,00,000 youth by 2030, empowering individuals with capabilities that support both employment and entrepreneurship.'He added that the Uri centre represents a purpose-driven approach, contributing to community resilience and advancing a sustainable hospitality ecosystem, particularly in regions with emerging tourism Manish Sehgal (VSM), Commander 12 Infantry Brigade, Dagger Division, Uri, stated, 'Working with youth and community is our commitment to nurture development in the region. The skill centre by IHCL and REACHA is a collaborative effort to uplift local communities and provide the youth with tools for a brighter future.'Nikhil Pant, Chairman and CEO of REACHA, commented, 'Our partnership with IHCL and the Indian Army continues to bring meaningful change to the lives of young people in Jammu & Kashmir. The centre builds on our shared vision of inclusive development through skill-building and community engagement .'The Uri centre follows previous efforts in Kupwara and Buniyar (Baramulla district). Together, these centres aim to train around 550 youth across Jammu & Kashmir by 2026.
