Russia introduces e-visa, Switzerland pauses Indian tour group visas, in-cabin Braille on United Airlines

With Russia introducing electronic visa (e-visa) for tourists from India and 54 other countries, travelling to Moscow has become easier. Effective August 1, 2023, tourists can apply for an e-visa online on the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

Applicants will have to submit their applications not later than four calendar days before the planned trip. A digital photo and a scan of the information page of the passport are the only documents needed to apply for an e-visa.

The e-visa furnished is valid for 60 days from the date of issue and allows tourists to stay on the territory of Russia for 16 days.

Currently, there are more than 10 weekly flights connecting India and Moscow.

Switzerland pauses Indian tour group visas until October: The Swiss embassy in New Delhi has announced that it will not be accepting new Schengen visa applications for Indian tour groups until October, 2023. According to the embassy, this decision was necessitated by the high volume of visa applications that they still need to process.

It has not been easy for individual tourist visa applicants for Switzerland, either. According to Schengen Statistics, 13.2% of all visa applications filed by Indian nationals in 2022 were refused – accounting for 13,984 rejections out of a total of 106,025 applications.

Acropolis of Athens sets visitor limits: The Acropolis of Athens is often teeming with visitors, some days more 23,000 tourists cram into the ancient complex. From September 4, 2023, only 20,000 visitors will be allowed daily into the UNESCO World Heritage site.

There will also be cap on how many visitors will be let in every hour. Under the new system, 3,000 people will be granted access from 8-9 am, 2,000 during the next hour and the numbers will vary across the rest of the day. However, there will be no time limit on visits.

The new entry limit from next month will be implemented on a trial basis and will come permanently into effect from April 1, 2024.

The archaeological site is open every day from 8am to 8pm.

UNESCO to add Venice ‘in danger’ list: UNESCO has recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO has cited that Italy is not doing enough to protect the city from the impact of climate change and mass tourism.

For years, Venice has been struggling with overtourism. To curb the swarm of tourists visiting Venice’s canals and cultural sites, the city has been toying with the idea of a fee for day-trippers but the move has been delayed by objections.

United Airlines introduces in-cabin Braille: United Airlines has become the first US airline to feature braille in aircraft cabin interiors. The move is designed to make travel more accessible for those with disabilities.
A dozen aircraft have been fitted out with braille markings for seat rows and numbers, as well as inside and outside the toilets. The airline plans to roll out braille in every aircraft in its fleet by 2026.

Spain’s pilgrimage site to introduce tourist tax: Santiago de Compostela, the destination of Spain’s famed Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, plans to introduce a tourist tax to curb overcrowding. The popular destination in Spain’s northwestern autonomous community of Galicia is culmination of the pilgrimage route that walkers start in Spain, France or Portugal. The city’s 9th-century Romanesque basilica is believed to be the burial place of Saint James the Great, one of the apostles of Jesus.

The annual footfall in the city exceeds 300,000.

Portugal issues heatwave warning: Amid record-breaking high temperatures in southern Europe, Portugal has placed the district of Faro and the archipelago of Madeira under a yellow warning. The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and the Atmosphere (IPMA) has said that Lisbon will be under the same category, and more than 50 municipalities in the North and Centre region, as well as the Altro Alentejo and the Algarve, are under wildfire risk.

Much of southern Europe including holiday spots like Spain, Italy, Croatia and Greece has seen extremely high temperatures.

In Italy, 23 cities are under red alert heat advisories, meaning all but four of Italy’s biggest cities are under red alerts. Rome, Florence and Bologna are among the areas affected by the heatwave, with forecasters suggesting that Sicily and Sardinia could see temperatures climb as high as 49 degree Celsius which would be the hottest ever recorded in Europe

A city is on red alert when the heat is so intense it poses a threat to the whole population, not just vulnerable groups such as the sick, the elderly and small children.

Robots to handle baggage in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: After the success of a two-week pilot project, 19 robots will soon start handling baggage in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The first robot will be deployed this autumn and all 19 will be deployed by the beginning of 2024.

The robots will be used in baggage reclaim Zuid, where KLM, Aviapartner, and Viggo handle departing passengers’ baggage within Europe.

Designed by Danish company Cobot Lift, these robots will assist baggage handlers by lifting heavy suitcases, improving working conditions.

Notre Dame to open in December 2024: Notre Dame, the 12th church in Paris that was damaged in a fire in April 2019, is set to reopen in December 2024.

While the cathedral plans to reopen for both church services and tourist visits in December 2024, the full restoration will not be complete until 2025. Around 1,000 people are working every day to rebuild the Notre Dame.