ARGENTINA: Air Europa Begins Direct Flights To Puerto Iguazu

Spanish airline will start its flights from Madrid to Puerto Iguazu with weekly frequency operated with the Boeing 787-8, ticket sales started already.

Flight Number UX-45 will depart from Madrid on Saturdays at 23:55 Local Time to arrive in Puerto Iguazu on following day at 07:05 Local Time with a duration of 12:10 minutes and the return of UX-46, will be at 08:35 Local Time, landing at the Spanish capital at 05:10 the next day after a stop in Montevideo.

In addition, the increase of an additional frequency is foreseen with a scale in the opposite direction in the Uruguayan capital, although the date has not been mentioned.

With 2 intense years of negotiations, the Province of Misiones will be able to be connected to Europe through the Hub of the airline in Madrid-Barajas and will further enhance the tourist attractions of the area such as the Iguazu Falls as well as benefit Ciudad del Este with its various shopping centers.

With the addition of Puerto Iguazu, Argentina will become the market with the largest presence in South America, currently flying from Buenos Aires with a daily frequency and Cordoba with a stopover in Asuncion with five weekly frequencies.

Air France-KLM and Air Europa (UX, Palma Son Sant Joan) are set to deepen their existing commercial ties through a tentative joint-venture agreement covering Europe and Central/South America.

The three Skyteam members' current partnership dates back over 15 years and involves codesharing on each other's European services out of Paris CDG, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Madrid Barajas.

A statement issued on Wednesday, August 1, said the parties were currently conducting an integral analysis of the joint venture given the complementarity of their respective networks from/to Central and South America.

Preliminary results show it would provide significant additional benefits to customers in the form of improved connectivity, increased seat availability and a basis to launch new routes and direct flights between the two continents.

The Franco-Dutch carrier group also has strategic partnerships with Virgin Atlantic for transatlantic flights although discussions over strategic cooperation on travel to other parts of the world are underway, Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes in Brazil, China Eastern Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, and China Southern Airlines...

Late last week, lrish low-cost airline Ryanair began offering flights to various destinations at market-breaking prices, including a one-way flight from London to Belfast for €7.

The company is offering a one-way flight from Tel Aviv to Paphos in Cyprus in late October for €20 and a return flight for €32, a €10 discount in each direction.

Flights to Burgas in Bulgaria, for example, are being offered for €34 one-way and €42 for a return flight.

These prices include the flight only, without luggage, with a suitcase costing at least €30 in each direction. The bargain campaign is valid until September 3 at midnight.

A partnership between Ryanair and Air Europa is offering Israelis flights to Miami, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Paraguay with a stopover in Madrid.

For example, a roundtrip ticket to Miami in late October costs €580. Since these flights involve cooperation with a regular airline, in contrast to Ryanair's own flights, the price includes a suitcase weighing up to 23 kilograms and hand luggage weighing up to 10 kilograms.

Following disruptions and cancellations of hundreds of its flights, Ryanair announced that it was recognizing FORSA, the union that its pilots joined.

Ryanair's air teams are distributed among pilots unions in several European countries. The airline's flights in European countries were disrupted by pilots seeking better conditions.

Tens of thousands of the airline's passengers were affected by these disruptions at the height of the vacation season in Europe.

Ryanair announced that 65% of its cabin crew were unionized under agreements recognized by the company. Ryanair's management will now work with representatives of Irish union FORSA.


Tourism Observer

CHINA: Central And Eastern Europe Tourism Exchange Week Event In Ningbo

The official Central And Eastern Europe Tourism Exchange Week will open today, June 7th 2017 in the coastal city of Ningbo.

The event is organized by Ningbo Tourism Administration.

The Central and Eastern Europe exchange is the third Chinese Investment and Trade Expo of its type. Central and Eastern European tourism exchange week is the Chinese government directive to expand mutual cooperation and development in the region.

The exchange week welcomes official representatives from the Czech Republic, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Benin and Romania.

Ningbo is a beautiful coastal city on the East China Sea. It has advanced transportation infrastructure, a developed information & technology industry, and over two thousand years of Chinese history and culture.

Ningbo is a thriving social and business environment, representing modern China's many decades of development, urban management and the unprecedented growth of industry.

Ningbo is an ideal window into understanding the development of China. To host the third China International Investment and Trade Expo at this week's exchange is of great importance to the city of Ningbo.

The representatives and their nation states have expressed their willingness to cooperate fully under the mutually beneficial framework of "One Belt One Road" cooperation.

The framework will aim to increase quantities of Chinese tourists traveling to the participating country within this year. The "One Belt One Road" agreement plans a new era of Chinese tourism and prosperity for all participating countries.

TURKEY: Tourist Arrival Numbers Fall, Oman Air Wins Award

Turkish tourism revenue reached $3.4 billion in the first quarter of the year with a 17.1% year-on-year decrease, amid the continuing decline in the number of foreign arrivals, data from the Turkish Statistics Institute (TUIK).

According to TUIK, while some 71.8% of this income, excluding GSM roaming and marina service expenditures, was obtained from foreign visitors, the remaining 28.2% were obtained from Turks residing abroad.

The number of foreign arrivals to Turkey fell to 3.8 million in the first three months of the year with a 6.4% decrease compared with the same period of 2016, according to the data from the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry announced.

About 1.6 million foreign tourists visited Turkey in March, with a 4% year-on-year decrease.

While the number of arrivals from Europe continued to decline in March, there was a significant increase in the number of arrivals from Russia in March, data showed.

A total of 565,643 people from European countries visited Turkey in March, with an almost 25% year-on-year decrease.

In the same month, the number of arrivals from Russia to Turkey showed a 145% year-on-year increase, hitting 58,654.

Most tourists arriving in Turkey were from Iran, Georgia, Bulgaria, Germany and Russia in March.

In the first three months of the year, 1.4 million Europeans visited Turkey with a 23% year-on-year increase.

In the same period, 138,039 Russians visited Turkey with a 109% year-on-year increase.

Number of Turkish citizens visited abroad increased by 4%

In this quarter number of Turkish citizens visited abroad increased by 4% compared to same quarter of previous year and reached to 1 million 897 thousand 554. Average expenditure was $ 451 per capita.

Meanwhile, Oman Air, the National Carrier of Sultanate of Oman, is celebrating the latest in a string of prestigious wins, following the presentation to the airline of the ‘Best Arab Air Carrier supporting Arab Tourism’ award.

The 2017 Arab Tourism Media Awards ceremony organised by the Arab Centre for Tourism Media was held at Roda Al Bustan Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

On behalf of Oman Air, Mahfood Al Harthi, Senior Vice President Sales (GCC, Middle East and Africa) of Oman Air received the award and commented:

“Oman Air is pleased and proud to accept the ‘Best Arab Air Carrier supporting Arab Tourism’ award and we would like to thank the judges and everyone else at the Arab Tourism Media Awards for this accolade.

Since last year, Oman Air saw the introduction of 11 aircrafts joining the airline's fleet. And with the addition of the new aircraft Oman Air’s fleet currently stands at 52.

This will not only offer more people a superlative passenger experience, but also enable even more people to visit Oman and discover for themselves the unique beauty and timeless culture of this wonderful country, which is increasingly renowned at an international level as a distinguished tourist destination.”

The airline continues to be recognised for its award winning on board experience; winning an array of industry awards in 2016 to add to its growing collection and continue its progress to becoming a successful, sustainable company of the highest quality: “To Become the Best.”

Recently, the National Carrier has been voted recently the ‘Best In-Flight Duty Free’ provider in the Middle East by readers of the German passenger services industry publication, Pax International Magazine.

In addition, awards in 2016 include World’s Leading Airline – Economy Class at the World Travel Awards in the Maldives, and Foreign Airline of the Year by Sector to the Middle East at the annual KLIA Awards, introduced in 2006 to recognize the best in Malaysian aviation industry.

The coveted Signum Virtutis, the seal of excellence, from the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards 2016 and winner for the best airline in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

The accolades are not limited to the passenger operation; Oman Air Cargo was also awarded “Best Cargo Airline for Valuable Goods – North and East” at the India Cargo Awards 2016 held in Delhi.

EUROPE: European Parliament Wants U.S. Citizens To Apply For Visas Before Traveling To Europe

The European Parliament wants U.S. citizens to have to apply for visas before traveling to Europe this summer.

The issue has developed due to an ongoing dispute over U.S. treatment of citizens from Eastern European countries such as Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, who are part of the EU but who are not allowed visa-free travel to the U.S. through the visa-waiver program.

The European Parliament is pressuring the EU executive to force Americans to apply for visas in retaliation.

Forcing Americans to obtain visas would definitely put a dent in Europe’s tourism industry especially during the busy summer season, which is why the European Commission says it is pursuing a resolution through diplomatic channels.

On June 15, EU Commission officials will meet with the U.S. to discuss the issue.

"We will report on further progress made before the end of June and continue to work closely with both the European Parliament and the Council," a Commission spokeswoman said, referring to the council which groups the governments of the 28 EU member states.

In the meantime, negotiations are taking place to resolve the issue, allowing for full “visa reciprocity,” an official said.

While European lawmakers voted with a show of hands to impose restrictive measures on American travelers, they have little power.

European Parliament Votes To Discontinue Visa Free Travel For Americans

European Parliament has voted to end visa-free travel for Americans within the EU.

It comes after the US failed to agree visa-free travel for citizens of five EU countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania – as part of a reciprocity agreement. US citizens can normally travel to all countries in the bloc without a visa.

The vote urges the revocation of the scheme within two months, meaning Americans will have to apply for extra documents for 12 months after the European Commission implements a “delegated act” to bring the change into effect.

The Commission discovered three years ago that the US was not meeting its obligations under the reciprocity agreement but has not yet taken any legal action. The latest vote, prepared by the civil liberties committee and approved by a plenary session of parliament, gives the Commission two months to act before MEPs can consider action in the European Court of Justice.

Australia, Brunei, Japan and Canada were also failing in their obligations, but all four have lifted, or are soon to lift, any visa restrictions on travel for EU citizens.

The Commission is legally obliged to act to suspend the visa waiver for Americans, but the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union have the chance to object to the “delegated act” it uses to do so.

In December, MEPs pressed for the move in order to “encourage” Washington to play its part, according to a statement by the parliament.

But Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos warned of “consequences”, including potential “retaliation” and a drop in visitor numbers precipitating substantial losses for the continent’s tourism industry.

Just days ago the Council said it would liberalise the visa regime for citizens of Georgia travelling into the EU.

Georgians can now, subject to final approval of the regulation, stay in any EU country for 90 days in any period of 180 days without needing a visa.

Carmelo Abela, Malta’s minister for national security, said: “This agreement will bring the people of Georgia and the EU closer together and will strengthen tourism and business ties. It follows the completion of the necessary reforms by Georgia, addressing document security, border management, migration and asylum.”

Last month it was reported that the EU was considering the adoption of a US-style electronic travel permit scheme – a move that could create a new administrative hurdle for British tourists after Brexit.

Immigration minister Robert Goodwill told Parliament the EU was discussing the possibility of introducing a version of America’s Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).

Currently foreign travellers must pay a fee of $14 (£11) when they complete ESTA, an automated online system that determines their eligibility to travel to the US.

“British people are now used to the US ESTA scheme and, therefore, we view with interest how the European scheme might develop and what similarities, and differences, there may be to the US scheme,” Mr Goodwill said.

“This type of scheme is generally there to help enhance security. To get to know as much as possible about the people who are intending to travel.

“It isn’t just flights, it could be people using ferries, or other border crossings into the European Union.”

Alan Brown, an SNP member of the European Scrutiny Committee, pointed out that Leave advocates in the referendum campaign had said there would be no need for visa-like travel schemes after Brexit.

UAE: Etihad Airways Looking For Pilots In Europe To Fly Airbus And Boeing Fleets

Etihad Airways has embarked on a major recruitment drive to hire additional crew, as it fleet expands.

The UAE’s national carrier said it is looking for pilots in Europe to join both its Airbus and Boeing fleets, with new aircraft expected to arrive between this year and 2025. The main focus of the talent search is to fill posts for First Officers.

Recruiters for the airline were scheduled to be in Europe on Sunday, November 13. They started in Romania and were expected to be in Bulgaria today, Tuesday. They will then make stops in Hungary, Lithuania, Greece, Poland, Belgium and Portugal.

Etihad had earlier announced it would freeze the hiring of non-operational staff, as currency fluctuations, economic uncertainty and market competition are putting pressure on yields. Recruitment of pilots, cabin crew and engineers, however, will continue.

The airline has a range of aircraft including Airbus 330s, 380s, Boeing 777s and B787s, and expects new A380 deliveries next year.

GERMANY: Welfare Tourism, Germany Will Block EU citizens

German government wants to stop citizens of other EU countries, particularly from eastern Europe, from moving to Germany just for its benefits.

Government sources told DPA that the German cabinet was in agreement about approving a proposed law to prevent EU citizens from countries outside Germany from claiming welfare benefits during their first five years in the country.

“We are aiming for a swift approval by the cabinet,” said a Labour Ministry spokeswoman. The law will then go to the German parliament (Bundestag) for debate.

The law would mean that EU citizens would have no entitlement to welfare payments unless they are currently in employment or if they have acquired an entitlement to social security payments by working.

Only after a stay of five years without any government support would EU citizens have an automatic right to claim ‘Hartz IV’, the most basic form of unemployment benefit that exists in Germany.

Hartz IV was introduced in 2003 as a base social welfare payment available to all German citizens, regardless of whether they had ever had a job.

German media first reported in April on the draft of the proposal by Labour Minister Andrea Nahles, and she said at the time that only a small number of people would be affected by the law.

“Cities have been waiting for this law and now the German parliament should quickly pass it,” said deputy head of the Association of German Cities, Helmut Dedy, to the Mitteldeutschen Zeitung.

“The new rules are necessary to create legal compliance and to avoid the significant financial strains on cities that come with extra social benefits.”

Nahles drafted the bill in reaction to a ruling by the Federal Social Court which found that EU citizens have a right to welfare payments after living in Germany for 6 months.

Local governments - which are responsible for paying social welfare - were outraged by the ruling, arguing that it would put an unbearable pressure on their finances.

According to the Federal Employment Agency, nearly 440,000 people from other EU states receive social benefits. Polish people made up the largest group of recipients at 92,000, followed by Italians (71,000), Romanians (57,000), and Greeks (46,000).

Many of these people are not unemployed, but rather earn too little money to support themselves and thus use social benefits to subsidize their low incomes. Many of those who do this come from Bulgaria and Romania.

THAILAND: Thailand Doubles Visa-on-arrival For 18 Countries

The new charge will come into effect on 27 September, and apply to the citizens of all 18 countries offered visa-on-arrival in Thailand. These include China, India, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia.

The newspaper reported the Thai Foreign Ministry as saying that the decision to implement a 100% increase was based on the belief that the current charge is lower than the visa fees paid by Thai tourists visiting other countries.

The timing of the decision is not ideal however; Thailand’s tourism authorities are working hard to encourage international travellers not to cancel their trips to the kingdom, following the recent bombings in several resort areas. The reason for the attacks is still unclear.

The other countries offered visa-on-arrival to Thailand are Bulgaria, Bhutan, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Romania, San Marino, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

GREECE: No Females Allowed

Mount Athos, formally known as Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain, is located on the Greek peninsula of Halkidiki. The monastic traditions of the mountain date back to 800 A.D. and the Byzantine era. Today, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries, and 2,000 monks from Greece and other eastern orthodox countries such as Bulgaria, Serbia and Russia. These monks live an ascetic life, isolated from the rest of the world.

Although technically part of the European Union, the Holy Mountain is largely self-governed. This prohibits the free movement of people and goods in its territory, unless formal permission has been granted. As a result, a number of traditions at Mount Athos might seem odd to people outside. The keeping of Byzantine time, for instance, means that their day begins at sunset.

But perhaps their most bizarre practice is the centuries-old ban on women entering the sacred peninsula.

For over 1,000 years, women have been forbidden from setting foot on the mountain. In fact, females of other species such as cows, dogs and goats aren’t permitted either. Only birds and insects are exempted from the rule – scanning the skies and grounds for female body parts would surely be too absurd, even by Mount Athos standards.

RUSSIA: Russian Domestic Tourism Grows

Travelers from Russia curbed their spending abroad by 30 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Domestic tourism has seen a 20 percent increase.

Russians spent $35 billion on accommodation, food, entertainment, shopping and service last year, making them the sixth highest spenders. In 2014 they spent 50.3 billion.

Chinese tourists still top the list, spending $292 billion last year, 25 percent more than in 2014.

The US was ranked second with American travelers spending $120 billion abroad. Germans spent $76 billion, Britons - $63 billion and French tourists rounded up the top five with $38 billion spend abroad.

The flow of tourists from Russia shrank 31.1 percent last year with 12.1 million departures, according to the Russian statistics bureau Rosstat.

The decline in the number of tourists from Russia is explained by the weakening of the domestic currency as well as the ban on flights to the most popular destinations – Turkey and Egypt.

The number of Russians visiting Turkey has fallen over 90 percent in the first three months of 2016.

“Over the first four months of last year, 126,690 Russian tourists visited Turkey, and this year - only 12,039 people,” the deputy head of Turkey’s Republican People’s Party, Chetin Osman Budak, told in an interview with a Turkish news channel.

Egypt’s tourism earnings have fallen by nearly $1.3 billion since the Russian plane crash last October.

According to the Russian Tourism Industry Union, Indonesia lost 96 percent of its Russian visitors in 2015, Tunisia saw an 83 percent drop, with travel to the Dominican Republic down 82.5 percent compared to the previous year.

The number of Russian visitors to Greece was down nearly 50 percent. Russian tourist numbers to Bulgaria, Spain and Croatia dropped by 41 percent last year, the data says.

Thailand bucked the trend with an increase in Russian tourists of 13 percent.

Meanwhile, domestic tourism in Russia grew by 20 percent in 2015 with inbound tourism up by 5.3 percent. The Russian Federal Agency for Tourism expects the uptrend to continue this year.

GHANA: Ghana Named Among World’s Top Travel Destinations For 2016

Ghana has been listed among 36 countries to be visited by travellers in 2016. The list was compiled by a group of 35 experienced and well-travelled bloggers from around the world, who specialise in adventure travel, ecotourism, cultural travel and family travel.

Ghana continues to find a sustainable means of expanding and harnessing its tourism potential in order to attract local and foreign tourists alike.

In recent times, the country’s Tourism Ministry and its implementing agency, the Ghana Tourism Authority have continued to introduce and expand a wide array of tourism related programmes and activities in order to sustain interest and increase earnings within the sector.

A member of the group who usually writes about the country, Elin Reitehaug reiterates this by a short summary on the country’s tourism sector; ‘’you are invited’’ is the standard phrase uttered when Ghanaians start eating. As a traveler in Ghana, you are always invited. Hike Afadjato, the highest mountain in Ghana, or go bird watching on a canopy walk in the rainforest of Kakum National Park, the country’s first protected area. To spot elephants, visit Mole National Park.

In Bolgantaga you’ll discover the rich culture of the Frafra people, known for weaving the world-famous Bolga baskets. In Elmina and along Cape Coast you’ll find several castles and forts recognised by UNESCO. Enjoy the beaches, which are popular for locals during weekends and holidays, when families and young people come to swim and play. Learn to play drums from energetic musicians at the Art Centre in Accra, or attend cultural events such as festivals and traditional celebrations of birth, marriage and death.’

The list also comprised countries such as, Quebec, South Africa, India, Bolivia, Brazil, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Greenland, Madagascar, Mauritius, Canada, South Africa, among others and was put together by Green Global Travel, an Ecotourism, Nature/Wildlife Conservation and Cultural Preservation Magazine.

TUI Realizes Deep Fall In Holidays To Turkey,Tunisia And Egypt .

TUI Group, the world’s largest tour operator, reported a 40 percent drop in bookings to Turkey this summer due to safety concerns and said it was investing in Cape Verde and Bulgaria as alternatives to security-threatened North Africa.

Turkey is especially popular with German tourists, but has seen demand slump after a suicide bomber killed 10 Germans in a busy Istanbul square in January.

Russians have been told to stay away by Moscow following the shooting down of a military jet last year.

Turkey has since offered jet fuel subsidies in a bid to stimulate tourism demand.

TUI Chief Executive Fritz Joussen said that around 14 percent of its customers had travelled to Turkey last summer but it expects to send only 1 million tourists there this year, compared with just under 2 million in a usual year.

In addition, the Zika outbreak in the Americas is also troubling the travel industry, although Joussen said demand for the Caribbean was booming and that he expected only a small hit.

TUI has already seen a sharp fall in holidays to Tunisia and Egypt this winter.

But tourists shifting to Spain, in particular the Canary Islands, and Greece, prompted TUI to confirm its forecast for underlying earnings to rise by at least 10 percent on a constant currency basis.

“The Canaries is pretty much booked out,” said Joussen, who is now sole chief executive after co-CEO Peter Long stepped down at Tuesday’s annual general meeting.

Hotel unit Riu was able to increase prices by 13 percent in the first quarter of the current financial year, mainly since the increased demand in the Canaries meant it did not have to offer discounts on last-minute bookings.

But with a package holiday in a five-star hotel in Tunisia costing about the same as for a two-star hotel in the Canaries, TUI is looking for new destinations. Joussen said Bulgaria was comparable to Tunisia price-wise, while the group was also building hotels in Cape Verde.

“We are creating alternatives, but in the long term we believe demand will come back,” Joussen said, adding that he expected demand for Turkey to recover quickly.

TUI reported a first-quarter underlying loss before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) of 101.7 million euros ($114 million), against a loss of 104.8 million one year ago. Travel companies typically report a loss in the first quarter.

It also took a 42 million euro hit from a writedown of its stake in shipper Hapag-Lloyd after a drop in its share price.

Its shares dropped 3 percent after Barclays cut its earnings per share target.

PAKISTAN: Pakistan Rejects 30 Immigrants, Stops Them To Disembark From Plane,Sends Them back To Europe

Migrants from Pakistan landing in Kos, Greece, in August. Pakistanis have been among the huge influx of asylum seekers into Europe this year, but they are viewed as economic migrants.

Pakistan sent 30 migrants back to three European countries after refusing to allow them to disembark from a chartered plane at an airport in Islamabad, officials said, a move that reflected growing frustration over the treatment of asylum seekers.

Sarfraz Hussain, a spokesman for the Pakistani Interior Ministry, described the migrants as “unverified deportees,” most of whom were sent back from Greece, saying the authorities would not permit anyone to enter the country without proper documentation.

A Greek police official, speaking on the customary condition of anonymity, said all 49 passengers on the plane were Pakistani citizens. “They had Pakistani Embassy documents,” he said. “Why would Pakistani Embassy staff give documents to people who are not from Pakistan?”

The Pakistani interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said last month that European countries were sending people back to Pakistan without identifying their nationality. But the episode Thursday was the first time that the country had refused to admit deportees.

In a statement, the European Union said on Thursday that Pakistan was requiring identification information about the deportees above and beyond what was called for in a readmission agreement reached in 2010, and that the case illustrated the need to improve the accord.

Officials said none of the passengers, who were flown to Benazir Bhutto International Airport, were initially allowed to leave the plane. The passengers were questioned, and the authorities then allowed 19 people to disembark after they were confirmed to be Pakistani citizens. They were taken into custody by a unit of the Interior Ministry that deals with human trafficking.

Greece is the most popular entry point for asylum seekers in Europe, and on Thursday, its migration minister said the country would take steps to address the deteriorating situation along the border with Macedonia.

Pakistanis have been among the huge flow of asylum seekers into Europe this year, but unlike those from Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, who are fleeing war at home, Pakistanis are rarely allowed to remain because they are viewed as economic migrants.

The Greek police official said “action will be taken” when the migrants returned to Greece, but he did not elaborate, noting that the flight was organized by Frontex, the European Union’s border monitoring agency.

He said 39 had been deported from Greece and the other 10 from Austria and Bulgaria. Of the 30 who were not allowed to enter Pakistan, 26 had been deported from Greece.

Pakistan tightened its policy on readmitting migrants last month, and Mr. Khan said an agreement to take migrants back in was the subject of “blatant misuse” by several European countries. Yiannis Mouzalas, the Greek migration minister, said it was the responsibility of the European Union to intervene.

Mr. Khan said many of the 90,000 citizens of Pakistan who were deported last year had been treated unfairly, and he expressed concern that many from his country who were found traveling without proper documents were being labeled terrorists.

After a meeting on Nov. 23 between Mr. Khan and Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European Union commissioner for migration, both sides agreed to enhance cooperation. On Thursday, however, Mr. Hussain said Greece had violated the agreement, complaining of “immoral, inhuman and illegal” conduct.

In Greece, Mr. Mouzalas said the authorities were determined to resolve peacefully the situation at the border with Macedonia in the next 10 days.

The International Organization for Migration said that the borders had been closed because of protests and rioting, and that a 22-year-old Moroccan citizen had died after being electrocuted.

The police and local aid workers said he was killed after he touched a high-voltage cable when he climbed on top of a stationary train near the border.

INDIA: India, Bulgaria Discuss Ways To Promote Tourism

India and Bulgaria on Monday discussed issues of mutual cooperation for promoting tourism in the two countries. The discussion took place during a meeting here between Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma and his Bulgarian counterpart Nikolina Angelkova.

“They discussed the issues of mutual cooperation for the promotion of tourism sector in both the countries,” the tourism ministry said in a statement. Sharma assured the visiting minister of the cooperation of his ministry in strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, saying “all possibilities would be explored for promoting tourism”.

Lack of direct air connectivity between India and Bulgaria was one of the major reasons for the small number of tourists travelling between the two countries, the statement said.

World's Unfriendliest & Friendliest Countries For Tourists

When traveling, some countries just don't like you. Or at least, it can certainly feel that way.

A new report, put out earlier this month by the World Economic Forum, has ranked which countries roll out the welcome mat to travelers and which give the cold shoulder.

The "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013" ranked 140 countries according to attractiveness and competitiveness in the travel and tourism industries.

Unwelcoming

Among the extensive analyses, one of the most interesting rankings was how welcome tourists are in each country, under the category "Attitude of population toward foreign visitors."

And the world's most unfriendly country, according to the data?

Bolivia took the dubious honor, scoring a 4.1 out of seven on a scale of "very unwelcome" (0) to "very welcome" (7).

Venezuela and the Russian Federation were next.

Interestingly, despite their huge tourist arrivals, South Korea and China tied with four other countries for the eighth least friendly spot.

At the other end of the scale, Iceland and New Zealand were ranked the world's most welcoming nations for visitors.

You can see a top 10 for friendliest and unfriendliest at the bottom of this article.

Strengths and weaknesses

The "friendly" ranking was just one aspect of the report, analyzing each country's competitiveness in travel and tourism. That competitiveness is "based on the extent to which they are putting in place the factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector."

In the overall Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, Europe was the top region with the first five positions all held by European countries. Switzerland, Germany and Austria were the top three in that order. Switzerland has headed the ranking since the index began five years ago.

Excellent tourism infrastructure and facilities, business travel appeal, sustainable development of natural resources and rich cultural resources were among the key factors in landing the highest positions in the rankings.

Safety/security, underdeveloped infrastructure and concerns about sustainable development were among the factors bringing down countries' competitiveness.

Haiti scored the lowest on the competitiveness index.

The United States (6th) topped the combined Americas, Singapore (10th) just pushed out Australia and New Zealand to lead the Asia Pacific region, the United Arab Emirates (28th) was the highest performer in the Middle East and the Seychelles (38th) overtook Mauritius to head Africa.

The report emphasized the need for continued development in the travel and tourism sector particularly for its role in job creation in a relatively stagnant global economy. The industry currently accounts for one in 11 jobs in the world.

The report used data compiled from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey and hard data from private sources and national and international agencies and organizations such as the ICAO, IATA, UNWTO, World Bank/International Finance Corporation, IUCN, WHO and UNESCO.

Attitude of population toward foreign visitors
(1 = very unwelcome; 7 = very welcome)

Friendliest

1. Iceland 6.8
2. New Zealand 6.8
3. Morocco 6.7
4. Macedonia, FYR 6.7
5. Austria 6.7
6. Senegal 6.7
7. Portugal 6.6
8. Bosnia and Herzegovina 6.6
9. Ireland 6.6
10. Burkina Faso 6.6

Unfriendliest

1. Bolivia 4.1
2. Venezuela 4.5
3. Russian Federation 5.0
4. Kuwait 5.2
5. Latvia 5.2
6. Iran 5.2
7. Pakistan 5.3
8. Slovak Republic 5.5
9. Bulgaria 5.5
10. Mongolia 5.5

TURKEY: Another Drowned Kid Found On Turkish Beach

Refugees pray on a highway In Turkey

A four-year-old Syrian girl's body has washed up on a beach in western Turkey, state media says, just weeks after images of drowned Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi shook the world.

The yet-to-be identified girl was found lifeless on a beach in the Aegean town of Cesme in Izmir province after a boat carrying 15 Syrians to the Greek island of Chios sank.

It said the Turkish coast guard rescued the remaining 14 Syrians, including eight children, from the inflatable boat. The girl appeared to be the only casualty.

Harrowing pictures of three-year-old Syrian asylum seeker Aylan, whose body was found washed up on a Turkish beach after the boat carrying his family to the Greek island of Kos sank, caused an outpouring of emotion around the world.

The response pressured European leaders to step up their response to the migrant crisis.

But two weeks later EU members are still at odds over how to accommodate the tens of thousands of new arrivals.

Turkish deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Friday the Turkish coast guard had rescued over 53,000 asylum seekers from stricken boats since the beginning of the year.

He said around 274 asylum seekers had lost their lives in Turkish waters this year seeking to leave the country by sea for Greece.

In another recent tragedy, 22 people who had left Turkey drowned on Tuesday when their wooden boat sank off Kos.

Asylum seekers have in recent days turned to Turkey's land borders with Greece and Bulgaria to avoid the sea voyage that has cost over 2,600 people their lives in the Mediterranean this year.

Several hundred asylum seekers spent a third day camped in and around the Turkish border city of Edirne, which lies 10 kilometres from the Greek border and is being promoted on social media as a safer route out of Turkey than sea journey in overcrowded dinghies.

Under an "open-door" policy championed by president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has taken in 2.2 million Syrian asylum seekers since the conflict in Syria erupted in 2011.

Mr Kurtulmus said Turkey has so far spent almost $11 billion (6 billion euros) to provide for Syrian refugees.

International Organisation of Immigration says a record 473,887 asylum seekers crossed into Europe

A record 473,887 asylum seekers have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe so far this year, the International Organisation for Migration said on Friday, including at least 182,000 Syrians — almost 40 per cent of the total.

The total represents an increase of almost 9,000 from the total the Geneva-based agency gave on Tuesday. But the rate of increase has slowed.

On Tuesday, the IOM said the number of crossings had jumped by more than 32,000 since the previous Friday.

The EU's Eurostat statistics agency said the EU received 213,000 asylum applications from April to June this year, a jump of 85 per cent from the same period in 2014, with over one third coming from Syria or Afghanistan.

It said Germany had the highest number of new applicants, with more than a third of the total for the EU, while Hungary was the country that received the most asylum applications relative to its population size.

Applications from Kosovo, regarded as a "safe" country by most of the EU, dropped sharply in the period, from the top berth with 50,000 requests in the first quarter to just over 10,000 one quarter later.

Across the EU almost 600,000 applications were pending at the end of June, Eurostat said, with 52 per cent of those being processed in Germany.

The European Union must know that Croatia will not become a migrant 'hotspot'. We have hearts, but we also have head.Croatia's prime minister, Zoran Milanovi

Croatia said it cannot and would not accept the burden of thousands of asylum seekers any longer, nor register or accommodate them.

Faced with an influx of more than 13,000 migrants in just over two days, prime minister Zoran Milanovic said on Friday he had called a session of Croatia's National Security Council and that it was time to deal with the problem in a different way

"We cannot register and accommodate these people any longer," he told a news conference.

"They will get food, water and medical help, and then they can move on. The European Union must know that Croatia will not become a migrant 'hotspot'. We have hearts, but we also have heads."

In response, Slovenia accused Croatia on of breaking the rules of the EU and the Schengen zone of border-free travel.

Interior ministry state secretary Bostjan Sefic said Slovenia expected around 1,000 asylum seekers to cross from Croatia in the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Dutch prosecutors said on Friday they had arrested two Syrians suspected of operating a large people-smuggling ring that brought hundreds of Syrian refugees into Europe.

Following a year-long investigation, Dutch authorities arrested a 35-year-old Syrian man living in the southern city of Eindhoven as well as his 26-year-old cousin.

Europol, Europe's police agency, is tracking as many as 30,000 suspected people smugglers who are taking advantage of large flows into the continent of asylum seekers escaping conflict in the Middle East and Africa.
Vatican takes in first Syrian refugee family

Responding to a call from Pope Francis for every Church parish to house refugees, the Vatican City said on Friday it had taken in a family that had fled the war in Syria.

The family — a father, mother and their two children — came from Damascus and are Melkite Greek Catholics, a Christian church with close ties to the Roman Catholic Church.

The Vatican said in a statement the family, which was not named, arrived in Italy on September 6, the day Pope Francis made his appeal for European parishes to open their doors to refugees. The four Syrians have since asked for asylum.
Journey in search of a better life

In a special report, ABC correspondents Mary Gearin, Barbara Miller and Sophie McNeill follow some asylum seekers on their long path through Europe.

"According to the law, for the first six months following the request for asylum those seeking international protection cannot work," the Vatican said.

"During this time, they will be helped and accompanied by the Parish of Santa Anna."

The Vatican City, a micro state which sits in the heart of Rome, contains two parishes — Santa Anna and St. Peter's Basilica.

The Vatican said it could not yet provide any information about a second family that is expected to be housed by the St Peter's administration.

Some parishioners have been openly hostile to the idea of welcoming in Muslims.

Monks in a village in Slovakia had to withdraw an offer to house Christian Syrian refugees after locals baulked at the idea.

The vast majority of Syrians are Muslims, but its small Christian community is one of the oldest in the world, making up an estimated 10 per cent of the population before the outbreak of the Syrian unrest in 2011.

According to its website, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church had some 150,000 members in Damascus in 2010. It is not clear how many have stayed in the city.

FINLAND: Finnair To Fly To Four New European Destinations In 2016

The airline Finnair will launch next year four new routes from Helsinki to northern Europe or East And it will convert into eight routes previously operated scheduled flights only charter flights.

As of April 4, 2016, the national carrier of Finland will offer a daily flight between the airport of Helsinki-Vantaa and Billund, operated by Embraer 170 seats 76 by ​​its subsidiary Nordic Regional Airlines (eg Flybe Nordic). Departures are scheduled at 8:05 (8:55 arrival) or 4:10 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays (arrival 17:00) are return flights leaving Denmark respectively at 12:10 (2:55 p.m. arrival) and at 20:10 (10:55 p.m. arrival). No competition on this route for Finnair, already poses five times a day in Copenhagen.

As of April 18 and throughout the summer season, the airline alliance will offer three and four weekly rotations between its capital and Edinburgh, operated by Airbus A319 of 138 seats again without competition. Departures Monday and Thursday are scheduled at 8:30 am (arrival 9:10), the one on Wednesday at 17:20 (arrival 18.00) and the Sunday at 16:30 (arrival 5:10 p.m.) Return flights will leave Scotland Monday and Thursday at 9:50 am (14:40 arrival), Wednesday at 18:40 (arriving 23:30) and Sundays at 18:15 (23:05 arrival). This road will allow "our Asian customers excellent opportunities to travel to Scotland on their travels in the UK, Scotland and connect the broad Asian network of Finnair, which has 13 airports."

From June 1 to August 27, Finnair will offer three flights a week between Helsinki and Svalbard, Longyearbyen airport accepting regular flights over the north of the planet. The E190 100 seats of its subsidiary will take off on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 23:45 (arrival the next day at 1:55), and will leave the Norwegian archipelago Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 2:45 (6:45 arrival). Only SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian offer low cost scheduled flights to Svalbard.

Finally significantly further south, Finnair will offer from June 20 to August 12 two flights a week between Helsinki and Pula starts Monday at 7:45 (9:40 arrival) and Friday at 5:35 p.m. (arrival 7:30 p.m.) and return of Croatia respectively at 10:30 am (2:25 p.m. arrival ) and 8:25 p.m. (0:20 arrival). No competition there either for the company that already serves Dubrovnik and Split.

Finnair will convert to the other regular flights from the month of May 2016 eight routes to Greece, Italy and Bulgaria previously offered only as charter flights in almost every case with one flight per week in A319, A320 or A321: these flies to Preveza (two flights a week), Rimini, Mytilini, Santorini, Skiathos, Varna, Verona and Zakynthos.