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.

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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.

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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.

The bankruptcy of Britain’s oldest travel company and airline Thomas Cook is not just causing problems for its employees and customers. In Spain, the airline’s closure is a threat to their tourist sector.

Impact of the Bankruptcy

On Sunday, the Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation said that tourist numbers dropped after the announcement. Around 1.3 million will be unable to fly to Spanish destinations because there are no more flights flying to them. As a result, 500 hotels are affected and cause the tourist sector to lose hundreds of millions of euros.

The government already announced that they will be providing a financial aid plan worth $330 million. They will also reduce airport fees and introduce emergency credit lines. Tourist infrastructure will also get aid to improve its services.

In the Canary Islands, the government says around 400,000 travelers won’t be making their trip. All of them booked their flights with Thomas Cook and it is uncertain if they got another flight. A hotel has also closed its doors because of the issue and it is Fuerteventura Princess. The hotel has an exclusive deal with Thomas Cook with 95% of its 688 rooms reserved for the airline’s passengers up to 2023. Staff are also laid off and many others will follow.

For the workers of the airline in Majorca, around 700 staff members said they are the biggest victims of the crash. They have not been paid since summer and they do not know what will happen next. Travel agency In Destination Incoming also liquidated days after the airline stopped operations. They reported debts up to 57 million euros.

Some workers said that they have no guests at any resorts because of the airline’s closure. However, they have no choice but to go to work even without pay because it is required by law. If they did not go, it will be seen as a resignation and they won’t get any benefits.

Thomas Cook Bankruptcy Summary

Thomas Cook announced its bankruptcy last month after failing to secure a £200 million emergency fund as part of its lenders’ demand before a rescue deal can be sorted out. It had already filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the US, but they did not declare bankruptcy. The British government started several programs to help those who got stranded because of the airline’s closure. Partners for the airline have also taken over some of the flights of the airline, but nothing concrete is in place for the future.

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Thailand is a popular tourist destination for many foreigners who like to enjoy food trips and shopping bargains. However, with the recent upsurge of its national currency, tourism is having problems making up for it. Fortunately, the government is now making an effort to resolve the problem.

New Tourism Measures

On Saturday, the Tourism and Sports Ministry introduced new measures that would help improve the country’s tourism. The new measures will be in place before the end of the year and aims to increase the number of places and agents offering VAT refund to foreign visitors to Thailand.

According to the reports, the ministry will be revising some of the tourism rules for foreigners. Hotel and accommodation providers will be given financial help to improve their properties. Safety rules will also be in place to reduce the risk of accidents and deaths for tourists.

They will also be holding major sporting and entertainment events to get people in the country. Currently, they are trying to reach out to international conferences to make their events in the country.

According to Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, they are expecting around 41.8 million tourists who will spend around 2.22 trillion baht next year. This year, they are expecting 40 million visitors to come to the country.

In support of the government’s plans to boost its tourism, the Finance Ministry approved a stimulus package for the final half of the year. The stimulus package aims to boost the country’s tourism growth by 3% and help bring in tourists to reach the 40 million tourist target for 2019.

Last Thursday, the World Bank reduced their growth projection for 2019 to 2.7% from 3.5% because of the export rates in the country. This rate puts Thailand as one of the ASEAN countries with a low GDP growth rate for 2019. They also foresee that it will be down to 2.9% for 2020.

Thailand Travel Tips

If you plan to visit the country, there are a lot of travel guides available. You can start your search at the Tourism Authority of Thailand website. We also wrote some articles to help you pick the best place to stay in Bangkok.

On the other hand, if you aim to move to this beautiful country, we also wrote some articles as a starter guide. These articles include the average salary in Bangkok and the cost of living in the city.

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