• Most powerful passports ranked, Top 3 – Japan, Singapore, Germany

    May 23, 2018
    Most powerful passports ranked, Top 3 – Japan, Singapore, Germany

    TravelBizNews —

    London: Japan has consolidated its spot at the top of the Henley Passport Index, now offering its citizens visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to a record total of 189 destinations.

    Following closely behind Japan are Singapore and Germany in joint 2nd place, with 188 destinations accessible without a prior visa, according to Henley Passport Index.

    The 3rd place is shared by six countries: one Asian (South Korea) and the rest European (Finland, France, Italy, Spain, and Sweden).

    While Schengen Area countries have traditionally topped the index as a result of their open access to Europe, developed Asian nations have been able to secure equally high scores in recent years due to their strong international trade and diplomatic relations.

    With close to 40 visa-waiver agreements signed by governments since the start of the year, passport-holders around the world go into the summer season with greater collective access than ever before.

    Boosting this trend, Russia -which is usually off-limits to nationals of most countries – announced in April that visas would be waived for all travelers holding tickets to the June–July FIFA World Cup.

    The US and the UK are tied in 4th place, along with Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal. The UAE, in 23rd place, remains the fastest overall climber on the index, ascending 38 places since 2008 .

    China has significantly strengthened its position on the ranking, climbing from 74th to 68th position since Q1- although the country’s relatively low score of 70 visa-free or visa-on-arrival destinations means that it still cannot compete with North Asian high-performers Japan and South Korea.

    The Philippine passport is ranked in the 70th place, now offering citizens easy access to 66 countries, followed by the Indian travel document in the 76th position, now offering holders ease of travel to 59 destinations.

    Travellers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan enjoy travel freedom when visiting 42, 41, 40 and 33 countries, respectively.

    Iraq and Afghanistan sit at the very bottom of the Henley Passport Index, in 100th place, each able to access only 30 destinations worldwide.

    The Henley Passport Index, which is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has recently been updated through extensive research to include eight new travel destinations.

    According to Dr. Christian H. Kälin, Group Chairman of Henley & Partners, “ the Henley Passport Index surveys a total of 199 different passports against 227 different travel destinations, including countries, territories, and micro-states. The index is innovating the way we map and measure travel freedom, making it easier for individuals to understand where exactly they lie on the spectrum of global mobility.”

    Most powerful 10 passports :

    1. Japan: 189 destinations

    2. Germany and Singapore: 188 destinations

    1. Finland, France, Italy, Sweden, Spain, South Korea: 187 destinations

    4.Norway, United Kingdom, Austria, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, United States: 186 destinations

    5.Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Canada: 185 destinations

    6.Australia and Greece: 183 destinations

    7.New Zealand, Czech Republic, Malta: 182 destinations

    1. Iceland: 181 destinations

    9.Hungary, Slovenia, Malaysia: 180 destinations

    1. Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania: 179 destinations

    Asian passports rank:

    China: 70 countries

    Philippines: 66 countries

    India: 59 countries

    Sri Lanka: 42 countries

    Bangladesh: 41

    Nepal: 40 (95th place)

    Pakistan: 33 (98th place)

    Inputs from Henley & Partners

    May 23, 2018

    Image :Himeji Castle , also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance, is widely considered as Japan’s most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds. The castle is both a national treasure and a world heritage site . / Japan Travel Guide

     

     

     

     

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      Spain said last week that a record 94 million foreign tourists flocked to the Iberian nation in 2024, a 10 percent increase from the previous year.

      France, which hosted the Olympic Games in July – September 2024, welcomed two more million visitors in 2024, an increase of two percent compared with 2023.

      But although France had more visitors, they spent less than those in Spain — 71 billion euros ($74-billion) compared with 126 billion euros in Spain.

      France’s takings from international tourists rose by a total of 12 percent year-on-year, driven largely by Belgian, English, German, Swiss and US citizens, the tourism ministry said in a statement.

      Despite the return of customers from Asia, the number of Chinese visitors to France remained 60 percent lower than before the pandemic.Thirty percent fewer Japanese visited the country than in 2019.

      Good snowfall in late 2024 meanwhile drove a rebound for the end-of-year holidays as snow sports lovers flocked to the French ski slopes.

      “The outlook for the first quarter of 2025 is very good, with visitor numbers on the rise,” the ministry statement added.- enca.com ,22 January 2025

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      Under the revised rules, every two climbers must hire a guide to climb any mountain over 8,000 metres, including Everest.Under the revised mountaineering regulations, the royalty fee for foreigners climbing Everest from the normal south route in the spring season (March-May) has been raised to $15,000 from the current $11,000 per person.

      The autumn season (September-November) climbing fee has increased from $5,500 to $7,500. At the same time, the permit cost per individual for the winter (December-February) and monsoon (June-August) seasons has risen from $2,750 to $3,750.The new rates will take effect on September 1, 2025.

      The last royalty fee revision was made on January 1, 2015, when the government switched from a group-based system to a uniform fee of $11,000 per climber for the spring season from the normal route.

      For Nepali climbers, the royalty fee for the normal route during the spring climbing season has doubled from Rs75,000 to Rs150,000.Climbing permits, previously valid for 75 days, will now be limited to 55 days. The reduced validity is aimed at streamlining climbing activities.

      As per the amended rules, from the upcoming spring season, Everest climbers will be required to bring their poop back to base camp for proper disposal. Climbers must carry biodegradable bags to collect waste in the upper reaches.

      Base camps typically have designated toilet tents with barrels to collect human waste during expeditions. However, in higher camps, only a few agencies provide similar facilities, while others rely on pits. Very few climbers use biodegradable bags to transport waste from the summit.

      The government has also hiked the insurance coverage for high-altitude workers.Insurance coverage for high-altitude guides has gone up to Rs2 million ($14,400) from Rs1.5 million ($10,800), and for base camp workers, it has been raised to Rs1.5 million ($10,800) from Rs800,000 ($5,760).

      According to the Himalayan Database, which records all expeditions and deaths in the Himalayas, more than 200 people died on the Nepal side of Everest between 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first scaled the peak, and 2022.

      Nearly 8,900 people have summited the world’s highest peak from Nepal’s side since 1953.- Kathmandu Post , January 22, 2025

      Bangkok named the world’s

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      The ranking, based on surveys of city dwellers worldwide, highlights culture, food, affordability and overall happiness as key factors in making a city truly great.

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