On July 19, Swiss tour operators received a notification from the Swiss embassy in New Delhi saying that, owing to the high volume of visa applications, no more applications could be accepted for group travel by company employees until and including September.
Tour operators have been asked to plan such trips for a later date so that visas can be submitted and issued in time, according to an articleExternal link in Tamedia newspapers on Saturday.
For many tour operators these trips are among the most profitable in their business. They often involve hundreds of people at a time who, for example, get the trip donated by their bosses as a reward for success. In 2019, for example, 12,000 Chinese received the trip as a present from their company and descended on Switzerland in three groups.
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Record-breaking Chinese tourist party descends on Switzerland
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Some 12,000 Chinese guests are arriving in Switzerland for the largest work incentive tour party ever to visit the Alpine state.
Schengen refers to the EU passport-free zoneExternal link that covers most European countries, including Switzerland. All nationals of third countries which have not yet reached a visa-liberalisation agreement with the Schengen member states must obtain a visa before arriving in Europe.
Black market
Although the Covid pandemic has been over for some time, the offices responsible for issuing Schengen visas in the embassies of the respective countries are still far from working at pre-Covid levels, the article said.
According to information from the industry, this mainly affects classic group travellers from Asian countries such as China or India.
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Fans of Netflix series disrupt peaceful Swiss village
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Fans of the South Korean TV series ‘Crash Landing on You’ are flocking to the Bernese village of Iseltwald. Not everyone is as delighted as they are.
As a result, these travellers, despite their desire to travel, still have not returned to Switzerland or Europe to the same extent compared to before the pandemic. Instead, they are going on holiday to countries in Southeast Asia, where entry is not a problem.
In addition, because demand currently clearly exceeds supply, a lively visa black market has developed, the article said. Especially in India, some companies or individuals are booking the few slots for visa issuance in advance and then selling them to tour operators. This is sometimes done at “horrendous prices”, according to industry insiders.
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Indian tourist numbers jump after roping in Bollywood ambassador
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Switzerland Tourism had engaged the services of Indian film star Ranveer Singh last November to boost the country’s visibility in the subcontinent. The objective was to convince more young Indians to visit the Alpine nation. It appears to have had an impact, with a 25.5% increase in visitor numbers and 27.1% increase in the number…
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Stargazers currently have the chance to spot shooting stars in the night sky. Until November 30, the Leonid meteor shower is lighting up the darkness.
Nationalisation suggested to save Red Cross Museum
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The director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva is calling for a national debate on the institution's future, following the announcement that a foreign ministry subsidy will be cut in 2027.
Climate: 224 Swiss companies announce CO2 reduction targets
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A total of 224 companies from Switzerland have joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), committing to CO2 reduction targets that are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
Swiss political class divided over reform of EU asylum pact
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As a result of the EU's Migration and Asylum Pact, Switzerland must adapt five laws linked to the Schengen/Dublin agreements.
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Swiss honour Indian filmmaker Yash Chopra with statue
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The 350 kg statue, which now stands in Kurssaal Garden in the central Swiss town of Interlaken, canton Bern, is a replica of the one in Chopra’s film studio in Mumbai and was unveiled by his widow, Pamela Chopra. Chopra’s daughter-in-law, the Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji – who also featured in his films, such as the highly…
Tourist spending in Switzerland returning to pre-pandemic levels
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Visitors to Switzerland spent CHF16.6 billion last year, a significant jump from 2021 but is still below pre-pandemic levels.
Bollywood buffet closed: Switzerland counts cost of lost Asian tourism
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The tourism sector, which had targeted visitors from beyond traditional European markets, has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.