Getting a US visa is very difficult because it requires a lot of paperwork and interview. Many countries often hope for the chance to get into the the US visa-free waiver program. However, not all are given the chance to get in the program because of the various factors that influence the US’s decision. For Poland, their efforts to get in the waiver program came through since they will now be able to travel to the US visa-free.

Visa Waiver Program Details

On Wednesday, the US Department of Homeland Security said that Poland is now under the Visa Waiver Program and it will be active starting next week. Poland, according to the announcement, is a “trusted partner” of the US and its inclusion to the program is a testament to their “special relationship” and cooperation.

Poland’s inclusion to the program makes them the 39th country to be a part of the program. Under the visa-free program, Polish citizens traveling to the US will only need to register online and pay $14 to get in the country.

The move will help the country’s business and tourism industries, as well as boost cultural ties between both countries.

Polish President Andrzej Duda welcomed the news. He said that starting Monday, Poland’s Independence Day, Polish citizens can now travel to the US visa-free. They will also be able to stay up to 90 days for both tourism and business. He also thanked President Trump for approving Poland’s application to the Visa Waiver Program. The country has been applying for the program since 1990 after the end of communism in the country.

Early this month, US President Donald Trump said that Poland will be included in the US’ Visa Waiver Program in the coming weeks. He and President Duda met after Duda visited the country for the UN General Assembly. Trump had plans to visit Poland but had to reschedule it due to Hurricane Dorian.

Poland Travel Tips

Interested to go to Poland? You can check out the official website of Polish Tourism to get some ideas.

We also have a guide in this site on what international airports are in Poland, which 8 cities should you visit in Poland, how to get prepaid internet in Poland and how to travel via train from Lublin and Lviv. We also listed down the best places to stay in Warsaw, in Krakow and in Lodz.

For those interested to work in Poland, you may visit the Polish migration page of the International Organization for Migration.

We also have a guide in this website about the cost of living in Warsaw and in Krakow. We also did an average and minimum salary guide for those who will stay in Warsaw.

The post Polish Citizens Now Visa-Free to the US appeared first on Check in Price.

For many travelers, especially those going to Europe, Turkey is where they get their connecting flights. Aside from being a transport hub, Turkey is also known for its rich history and culture, with Istanbul being its capital. Although other Middle Eastern countries are now vying to become the new global hub in the region, the Turkish city’s charm is still a favorite for many tourists.

Istanbul’s Tourism on the Rise

On Saturday, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya said that the city welcomed 11.3 million foreign tourists for the first 9 months of the year. In his Twitter page, he said that the city has already reached its 2023 targets and broke the record several times over.

According to the statistics later posted, the number of foreign tourists from January to September grew by 12% as compared to last year’s record. Most of these tourists came from Germany with 858,000 visitors. It increased by 5% from last year’s record. Iranian tourists came next in the list with 687,000 visitors, Iraqis with 545,000 and Russians with 512,000 respectively.

The number of Chinese and Kuwaiti tourists also grew in numbers for this year. For the first 9 months of the year, it grew up to 11% and 30.7% respectively. Arab tourists flying to Istanbul also grew by 12% this year. Around 25.8% of all the tourists that visited the city are Arabs or 2.9 million tourists.

Aside from the tourist numbers in the city, hotel occupancy in the city also increased. It increased by 4% to 74.5% compared to last year’s record. The daily room price also grew by 10.8% to 91.1 euros or $102. The income per room also grew to 67.9 euros or $76, which indicate higher spending for tourists staying in the city.

Visit Turkey

Want to travel to Turkey? You can check out the website of Go Turkey Tourism to find out more about the country’s great offerings. You may also check out the official website of Turkey’s Electronic Visa Application System to find out more about their visa details. As far as where you can stay, we have a guide on the best places to stay in the city.

As for other Turkish destinations, you can check out the website of Visit Antalya for those traveling to Antalya. We also included a guide here in the blog about the best places to stay in Izmir if you are heading that way.

The post Istanbul Posts an Increase in Visitors on Tourism Boom appeared first on Check in Price.

In recent months, Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are introducing new programs to bring in tourists. Visa-free policies and new visa types are now available for some countries, and a new visa is in the works: a joint visa.

Joint Visa Details

On Friday, a report from the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh said that both countries are working a joint visa. The new visa will allow foreigners to travel to both countries without filing for a separate visa.

The announcement was made by UAE’s Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori. He mentioned the new project during the latest FII meeting, which happened on October 31. Around 6,000 attendees worldwide were in the session and 300 of them are decision-makers for 30 countries.

In a statement quoted by Al Eqtisadiah newspaper, Al Mansoori said “This initiative aims at taking advantage of the enormous potential and great measures taken by Saudi Arabia to facilitate the entry of tourists to the Kingdom.”

Once the negotiations are complete, the visa will be active next year. Full details about the joint visa project are not yet available.

Around 24,000 tourists came to Saudi Arabia since the beginning of its newest visa system on September 27. According to Saudi media, most of these visitors came from China with 7,391 tourists. They are followed by British and American citizens respectively with 6,159 and 2,132 tourists respectively. Saudi’s Foreign Ministry says the country aims to target 100 million visitors yearly by 2030.

Currently, 41 million visitors visit Saudi every year.

Saudi and UAE Tips

For those interested to travel to Saudi Arabia, there are a lot of guides available to help. You can visit the official tourism website of the Kingdom through this link. The site also has details about how international tourists can get visa to visit the country. You may also check with your local Saudi Embassy for more details about traveling to the country.

Meanwhile, if you are planning to visit the UAE, there are a lot of articles online to help you out. You can check out the Dubai Tourism Board or the Abu Dhabi Tourism Board to find out more about the two cities. You can also check out our article about the Best Places to Stay in Dubai for some extra ideas.

The post Saudi and UAE Teaming Up for New Joint Visa appeared first on Check in Price.

For the past couple of months, Uzbekistan has been opening its visa policy to more tourists. This aims to bring in more income to the country and foreign direct investment. Several countries are in the visa-free regime, and more have been added in a recent government announcement.

Which countries are a part of the announcement?

On Friday, October 25, the Uzbek government said that citizens from 86 states can now enter the country without visa. According to the report of Trendreports, the government released a general list that highlights a new category for entry documents that were introduced early this year.

In the new list, citizens from Russia, Georgia, Belarus and Azerbaijan are some who can stay without a visa in Uzbekistan without any limit. Kyrgyzstan citizens can stay up to 60 days, while citizens from Austria, Italy, Tajikistan and others can stay up to 30 days. Chinese and Hong Kong nationals can stay in the country for 7 days or less.

The new order will be active on January 1, 2020 and to qualify, citizens traveling to the country must have a return ticket ready.

Earlier this year, visa-free regimes became possible for several Latin American countries visiting Uzbekistan. These countries include Mexico, Honduras, Bahamas, Cuba, Nicaragua and others. The Uzbek government also cancelled the visa policy for most European and American countries. Because of this cancellation, European and American citizens can visit the country without visa.

Australians, Japanese, South Koreans, and other CIS countries can also travel to the country without a visa. However, those from Turkmenistan cannot visit the country without a visa. They will need to follow the visa policy required for these citizens.

Meanwhile, those who wish to live in Uzbekistan for long or do work can avail the new 10-Year Residence Permit and the Silk Visa.

Uzbekistan Tips

If you like to visit Uzbekistan anytime soon, there are a lot of articles online to help you organize. A great resource for what you need to know about the country is the government tourism agency of Uzbekistan website.

For those who wish to work in the country, we have a guide on Tashkent’s salary and where you can stay. You may also ask your local Uzbek Embassy to find out how you can work in the country. They can also answer questions on how you can get your working visa. Licensed job agencies can also assist with your inquiries and documentation.

The post Uzbekistan Extends Visa-Free Regime appeared first on Check in Price.

France is one of Europe’s most popular tourists destinations. It is known as the City of Love and Lights, and it has one of the world’s richest cultures and history. The government sees tourism as an important factor for its economy and have several programs to support it. However, their forecast for next year is not very good because of two major factors.

Brexit and “Yellow Vests” are to Blame

On Tuesday, October 22, the French government said that they are ditching its target of welcoming 100 million tourists next year. According to the French Finance Ministry in a budget memo online, the country will still aim to get 100 million tourists in the country. However, they are pushing their targets back to 2022. This is not the first time France made a shift in their targets. They first announced this goal in 2014.

The reason for this decision is in light to the growing anti-government protests happening in the city and Britain’s incoming exit from the European Union.

Several “yellow vest” protests started last November against President Emmanuel Macron’s policies. Tourists started to have second thoughts because of these protests. They happen every week and they happen in major tourists destinations. There are also clashes between the protesters and the police, which can get violent.

Recently, the authorities announced a lockdown in central Paris because of the protests.

Meanwhile, Britain’s incoming exit to the EU and the weakening its currency is also felt in France. According to Insee’s statistics reports, the number of overnight stays in France became low. It fell by 2.5% and in Ile-de-France, it went down by 4.8%. Experts say there is a big drop of tourists from the UK, which is their largest source of tourists.

British tourists can drive to France using the Channel Tunnel or take the Eurostar.

France Travel Tips

Hoping to visit France? Check out the official website of tourism in France to find out more about the country. You can also check out our guides on where to stay in Lyon, Nice, Grenoble and Toulouse. We also have a guide on the airports in Southern France.

For those who wish to work in the capital, we have a guide on the average salary and the cost of living.

The post France Glooms on Tourism Forecast appeared first on Check in Price.

Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) is one of Asia’s busiest airport hubs. Millions of people and cargo travel in and out of the airport every year, causing the airport to be at full capacity. The New Beijing International Airport, which was opened last month, aims to help reduce the burden to the airport. With its opening, several international flights have moved to their new home.

International Flights at the New Beijing International Airport

On Saturday, Beijing Daxing International Airport began its first international flight. The first international flight from the airport was a China Airways route to Bangkok. It left at 7:50 am local time on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the first inbound international arrival was British Airways flight 39 from London, which landed around 9:13 am.

The airport was designed by the late Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid and started its operations last month ahead of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on October 1. Many call the airport “the starfish” because it looks like one from the sky. Chinese President Xi Jinping opened the airport during its opening day.

China Southern and China Eastern will be based in Daxing now that it is opened, while Air China will remain at Beijing Capital as its hub.

According to CCTV, there are currently 12 flights a day from Daxing heading to Macao, Taiwan and Hong Kong. This accounts to 3% of the total airport traffic for Daxing. The airport’s management aims to increase these flights up to 22 flights per day by March 2020.

Meanwhile, Beijing Capital is considered the second busiest airport in the world after Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport. The other Chinese airport hub, Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) is at number 9. Experts say that China will overtake the US as the top aviation market by 2023.

Travel to China

Traveling to China? If that is a yes, this website has a lot of guides for you to check out. We have a guide for the best places to stay in Beijing, Harbin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Wuhan. We also have a guide about the cheapest Cities in China.

For those planning to work in Beijing, we have a salary guide as well.

For more details about Beijing, check out the Beijing Tourism website. When it comes to visa details, check your local Chinese Embassy and inquire.

The post International Flights Begin at New Beijing International Airport appeared first on Check in Price.

Visiting China is not very easy, especially with its visa policy. However, with the popularity of traveling, China is slowly opening its visa policy with the introduction of transit visas and short-term visas. One of their latest projects is the 144-hour transit visa and recently, they increased the cities included in the program.

What cities are covered?

In the latest report on Thursday by the Chinese news outlet CGTN, Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing and Ningbo can now be accessible to foreigners with the G Visa. The G Visa is the special 144-hour, six-day transit visa for tourists who wish to visit the country for a short period of time. The new cities can be accessed starting December 1st, bringing the total number of cities open for G Visa holders up to 20 cities.

Each city is well-known for being home to China’s historical landmarks. Xi’an, for example, is home to the Terracotta Warriors. Their location is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it is still being studied by experts worldwide. Chengdu, meanwhile, is home to pandas and spicy hotpot, two of China’s top exports. Both areas are also major transit hubs for China.

The G Visa also covers cities like Shanghai and Beijing and tourists can stay up to six days or less. However, it is not open for everyone to apply for.

Applicants must come from one of the 53 accepted countries, which include Japan, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. They must also have a booked ticket to another destination via China. Hong Kong and Macau can be end destinations for the transit visa.

To apply, they will need to fill up the application form and have a passport-sized photo on the document. They must also ensure they have the visa for their end destination. Everything must be sorted out before they make their arrangements in China.

Travel to China

Traveling to China? If that is a yes, this website has a lot of guides for you to check out. We have a guide for the best places to stay in Beijing, Harbin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Wuhan. We also have a guide about the Cheapest Cities in China.

For those planning to work in Beijing, we have a salary guide as well.

For more details about Beijing, check out the Beijing Tourism website. When it comes to visa details, check your local Chinese Embassy and inquire.

The post New Cities Included in China’s 144-Hour Transit Visa appeared first on Check in Price.

Turkey has a lot of great tourist destinations that many foreigners often flock to for their holidays in the country. One of them is the beautiful city of Antalya, known for their great beaches and natural wonders. Thanks to its charm, it has recorded a new record for tourist arrivals in the city according to a latest government report. Istanbul also records a new statistic for its hotel occupation.

Antalya’s Tourist Record

On Sunday, October 20, Antalya’s Directorate of Culture and Tourism revealed that the city has welcomed over 14 million foreign tourists from January to October 15. Last year, it was only around 13.6 million and during the same period, only 12 million visited.

These visitors come from 193 countries and often fly to the city for holidays. The city aims to bring the number of tourists to 16 million visitors by the end of the year.

According to the report, 5.2 million tourists come from Russia and there is a 15% increase in a yearly basis. They are followed by Germans nationals with 2.5 million and Ukrainians with 776,000. German tourists increased by 15 percent since last year, as well as British tourists with 656,000 tourists.

Data also showed that 516,000 Polish and 397,000 Dutch tourists stay in Antalya for the holidays or casual trips to the country.

Aside from Antalya’s record, the Istanbul’s Chamber of Commerce is expecting that the number of tourists visiting the city will be more than the city’s population. During a press meeting in Cannes, France on October 18, ITO’s president Şekib Avdagiç said they are expecting 15.5 million tourists to Istanbul by the end of 2019. He attended the prestigious film, content, TV and production industry exhibition, MIPCOM 2019, where he revealed Istanbul’s hotel occupancy.

He also mentioned that hotel occupancy in the city has increased up to 87%. The effect of this demand brought hotel prices up to 27% on foreign currency.

Visit Turkey

Want to travel to Turkey? You can check out the website of Go Turkey Tourism to find out more about the country’s great offerings. You may also check out the official website of Turkey’s Electronic Visa Application System to find out more about their visa details.

If you want to check out Antalya, you can check out the website of Visit Antalya or Go Turkey Tourism. We also included a guide here in the blog about the best places to stay in Izmir.

The post Antalya Beats Tourist Record appeared first on Check in Price.

Traveling is now becoming very popular for many citizens around the world. Many countries are now opening its visa policies to citizens who are usually required to visit with a visa. A new report reveals that most of tourists worldwide are flocking Asia for their vacation and casual trips.

Asia’s Tourism Growth Report

According to the latest report of IPK International, the 2019 World Travel Monitor, it reveals that trips to Asia are increasing and will continue to increase. Last year, it was 7% but now it rose to 13% during the first eight months of 2019. This brings Asia as the largest growth driver for the international tourism market for the year.

“Growth in Asia’s foreign travel market continues to exceed the global average, which during the first eight months of the year was only 4%,” said IPK International’s marketing consultant Julia Muhlberger.

Furthermore, the report said that foreign trips within the Asian region covers 80% of the market. Meanwhile, European countries only reported a slight increase in tourists from the Asian region. At 15%, Asian travelers visited Europe for the year. Sadly, the number of Asian traveler in the USA dropped for the third straight year. The country reported that only 8% come from the Asian region.

When it comes to their spending, Asian travelers spend more as compared to other travelers despite the fact they stay only for a few days. Asians stayed for an average of 5.9 nights on outbound trips, which there’s a slight increase from last year’s average of 5.6 overnights. However, it is still lower than the global average of eight overnights.

City travel is very popular for Asian travelers and from the report, it occupied 35% of the city travel record. Roundtrips are also making a comeback and it now has a 24% market share. Beach holidays also remain very popular and covers 21% of the tourism market.

It can be said, through the report, that business travel market has also benefited from the boost in tourism in Asia. From January to August 2019, 17% of Asians traveling abroad are for business/MICE trips. Travel agencies are also very helpful for Asian travelers. According to the report, 85% of Asian outbound travelers booked over the internet. Around 40% booked through travel agencies and 50% actually seek advice from travel agencies to plan out their trips.

What is the future estimate of World Travel Monitor?

For 2020, IPK International says that Asians will continue to travel around the world. It will also increase up to 5%, which is higher than the global estimates. However, this increase will not be very high because of the various factors that may affect travel.

The World Travel Monitor analyzes the trends in 60 tourism markets worldwide for the past 20 years. This year’s World Travel Monitor report was commissioned by ITB Berlin and released during this year’s ITB Asia in Singapore.

The post Asia Posts Highest Growth on Global Tourism appeared first on Check in Price.

Madrid has a lot to offer to tourists no matter what kind of sites they wish to see. The city has historical and cultural attractions, as well as events that will educate people about Spain. However, not many stay long in Madrid because they favor visiting areas like Barcelona or Majorca. But, this may change with Iberia’s newest promotion.

Hola Madrid!

On Tuesday, the country’s national airline announced that they will be offering long stopovers in Madrid to any interested tourists. The new Hola Madrid promotion will allow any Iberia passenger to prolong their stopover in Madrid with no extra cost to their tickets. The airline has teamed up with the city’s top attractions to give big discounts for Iberia passengers.

For example, accommodations in any of Madrid’s 20 Melia hotels will have a 40% off for each room if they availed the Hola Madrid! promotion. Iberia will also provide a free two-day pass so tourists can go around Madrid for free.

To get the promotion, passengers with stopover flights simply need to log into Iberia’s website, book your ticket and indicate how long you wish to stay in Madrid. They can stay up to six nights long in Madrid.

The promotion is also available for flights from Europe and other countries. However, these flights must have a stopover in Madrid for them to qualify for the promotion.

Spain Travel Tips

Want to maximize Iberia’s Hola Madrid! promotion when you book with them? You can check out the website of Visit Madrid to learn more about the city.

We also have several guides here in our website that we know can help you out during your stay. First, the site has a guide on how you can travel from Madrid Barajas Airport to Chamartin Station and to Atocha Station. We also have a transportation guide on how you can travel to Barcelona, to Toledo and to Valencia from Madrid.

If you are wondering if Madrid is the best, we have a comparison guide between the capital and Lisbon. You can also check out our recommendation as to where you can stay in the city.

If you will be working in the city, we have a guide on how much the cost of living is and how much is the average salary. You may check with your local Spanish embassy for the requirements you will need to get a work visa.

The post Iberia Offers Long Stopover at Madrid appeared first on Check in Price.