For tourists, it can be very difficult to travel into regions that have different visa policies. Some will not permit you to return into the country once you leave it because they only issue single-entry visa. However, things will be changing in Thailand thanks to their double entry visa program.

New Form of Tourist Visa in Thailand

On Friday, November 29, the Thai government announced that tourists who will be visiting Thailand and its neighboring countries can now get the new double entry visa for tourists. With this visa, tourists can go in and out of Thailand and visit its neighboring country like Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos. Once they are finished with their journeys to these countries, they can go back to Thailand without problems.

According to Kobsak Pootrakul, deputy secretary-general to the Thai PM, the new tourist visa may soon be available online. A three-month trial is scheduled to try out the system in two land entry points – Nong Khai (between Thailand and Laos) and Sadao (between Thailand and Malaysia). The two entry ways will be open for 24 hours a day throughout the trial.

Unfortunately, the government has yet to reveal when the trial will start. However, some report that it may be at the end of this year or next month. Once the trial ends, officials will look at the statistics to see how they can operate the program. For instance, they will see if if they should continue with a 24/7 operation or not.

The new tourism visa is just part of the country’s efforts to help the tourism sector in Thailand grow. Kobsak says that the government aims to bring in 42 million visitors to the country by 2020. So far, they have welcomed 20 million tourists in the first half of 2019 and the year-end total is close to 39 million.

Experts say that the validity of the visa will be limited. Details are not yet out for the public to review.

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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Foreigners who wish to live in the country of Saudi Arabia used to find it difficult to do so. The country has very strict requirements and they don’t allow foreigners to visit easily unless it is for work or if they are Muslim. However, they are now shifting their policies to become more open as seen in their latest program.

Permanent Residency Program

On Wednesday, November 13, the Saudi government issued 73 “premium” residency to foreigners under its new program. The program aims to bring in overseas investment by allowing foreigners to buy property in the country and do business without a Saudi sponsor.

The announcement of the program led to the application of thousands of foreigners who wish to get in the country. Permanent residency can be acquired for 800,000 riyals or a one-year renewable permit for 100,000 riyals. The lucky foreigners who got the program came from 19 countries. They come from various professions as well according to the Premium Residency Center’s statement on Monday, November 11. However, it is visible it did not include how many got the permanent residency status.

The new program was introduced in May and shows Saudi’s changing perspective on how the economy can stay afloat. So far, the country has been heavily reliant on oil, but the prices have caused some importers to move to cheaper suppliers.

The program or the “priviledge iqama” system will provide eligible residents the chance to build their business, own property, and go in and out of the country without sponsorship. They will also get family status and use the processing services for Saudi nationals in the airport.

Interested foreigners must have their valid passport, financial requirements and be at least 21 years old and older.

In an interview in 2016 with Bloomberg, Saudi’s Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman said that the government has been considering a special Green Card system for expats. This can generate billions of dollars for the national economy should the program be successful.

Saudi Arabia 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.

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eVisa programs are now becoming very popular around the world because of how efficient it makes traveling to foreign countries faster. They are also more secure than old visas since more information is within them. The latest country to introduce this system is Oman.

Oman’s eVisa Program

On Sunday, the Royal Oman Police announced that visitors traveling to Oman must now get their eVisas prior to their arrival in the Sultanate. Previously, travelers can avail the visa on arrival to get in Oman.

In their social media post, the police said that the visa on arrival option will only be granted in certain situations. The eVisa should be “used wherever possible.”

It is very easy to apply for the eVisa. Tourists can simply apply online and upload their passport, a passport-style photo of themselves and pay the fee of OMR5.

Processing takes around 4 days and once it is available, they can stay in Oman up to 10 days.

Currently, the eVisa program is open to 71 countries, including the European Union, the United States and Australia. The other countries not included in the list will need to apply for their visas normally through their respective Omani embassy in their home country. Requirements vary which is why it is important to inquire first before applying.

Those from the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait do not need a visa to enter Oman.

This latest announcement regarding Oman’s visa policy comes after the recent announcement of visa-free travel for Omani nationals to Saint Petersburg, Russia. In the announcement, Oman is one of the 53 countries qualified for the visa-free program. They are ok to visit Saint Petersburg with the new visa, but not visit other areas like Moscow since the visa does not cover it.

For those interested to apply for Oman’s eVisa and to see if you qualify, you can visit https://evisa.rop.gov.om/.

Oman Travel Tips

The Sultanate of Oman is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the Middle East. Tourism has contribute greatly to Oman’s GDP and many tourists entering the country are from nearby countries.

Oman offers a very diverse range of travel destinations for tourists. Many tourists come to try out Oman’s cultural tours, which showcase the country’s World Heritage Sites. Aside from these cultural tours, there are also nature based activities available. Sporting and cultural events are also in the country’s calendar for visitors to enjoy.

To find out more about Oman, check out the official website of Oman Tourism.

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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.

Many foreign tourists love visiting Vietnam for its unique natural wonders and culture. It is also one of the cheapest places to visit since everything is very affordable. Because of its charms, many foreigners flock the country and the government took note of it in its latest report.

Tourism is Growing in Vietnam

On Tuesday, Vietnam’s General Statistics Office (GSO) released its latest report about the country’s tourism sector. Their statistics showed that the country welcomed around 1.62 million foreign tourists to the country for October alone. It is up by 34.3% as compared to last year’s record for the same month.

The GSO also said that the record is the highest growth rate the Vietnamese tourism sector has for the year. They also said that the number reached nearly 14.5 million in the first 10 months of the year. It is up by 13% over the same period last year.

Most of these tourists are Chinese and South Korean, which covered 56% of the total tally.

The Vietnam Administration of Tourism (VNAT) welcomed the report and said that the growth rate is impressive. It is also higher than the projected regional and international growth average from the World Tourism Organization this year. The WTO said that in the first 6 months of the year, the number of tourists traveling to foreign countries grew by 4%. Those from Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific had increased of 5 or 6% respectively.

VNAT said that the growth the country experienced is thanks to the efforts by the entire tourism sector. The report said that most of the foreign visitors who came to Vietnam came from the Asian region or 79.5%. It rose up to 15.2% over the same period last year. Chinese, South Korean and Japanese tourists led the pack and they also showed an increase in numbers this month.

This is not the only citation that shows Vietnam’s tourism growth. At the 26th World Travel Awards early this month, the sector won four awards. The VNAT reacted to the awards and said it is a proof that the country’s tourism is strong.

The awards also opens opportunities for the sector to boost its promotions to get more people in the country.

Vietnam Tips

If you like ideas on how you can enjoy Vietnam, we have a lot of articles in the site to help you out. Some of the articles we have include where to stay in Hanoi and Da Nang and whether you should take an eVisa or Visa on Arrival when you travel to the country. You can also check out the Official Tourism Website of Vietnam for more ideas.

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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.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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