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Santorini Has Tightened Its Cruise Passenger Cap for 2026, Cutting Ship Calls by Nearly a Fifth

Santorini's daily cruise passenger cap of 8,000 now counts ships at full berth capacity rather than 80 percent, effectively shutting out larger vessels and cutting scheduled 2026 cruise calls by roughly 18 percent from 2025.

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Bali Is Finally Enforcing Its Tourist Levy, With Spot Checks at Major Sites

After running largely on the honour system since 2024, Bali's IDR 150,000 foreign tourist levy is now being actively checked at sites including Tanah Lot, Uluwatu and Tegallalang, with visitors who can't show proof of payment risking being turned away.

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IRCTC's New 11-Day Train Covers All Seven Jyotirlinga Shrines From Delhi

IRCTC's Bharat Gaurav Deluxe Tourist Train began an 11-day 'Sapta Jyotirlinga Mahayatra' from Delhi on 25 September 2026, covering all seven Jyotirlinga shrines across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra in a single package.

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Singapore Airlines Named World's Best Airline for 2026, Displacing Qatar Airways

Skytrax announced its 2026 World Airline Awards in London on 18 September, naming Singapore Airlines the world's best airline for the sixth time and knocking previous winner Qatar Airways to second place, a result of interest to Indian travellers given the carrier's extensive India network via Changi.

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Foreign Airlines Flying to India Must Now Appoint a Local Representative and Handle Complaints Like Indian Carriers

Under a DGCA order issued in April 2026, foreign airlines operating to and from India must appoint an India-based representative, run a formal passenger grievance mechanism and report incidents within four hours, closing a gap that had left them under lighter oversight than domestic carriers.

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Sri Lanka Has Made Its Tourist ETA Free for Indian Travellers, Effective From 25 May

Since 25 May 2026, Indian passport holders no longer pay Sri Lanka's tourist ETA fee, part of a wider waiver extended to 40 nationalities, though the ETA application itself remains mandatory.

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IndiGo Will Fly Mumbai to Tanzania From November, Its Second Mainland African Route

IndiGo has confirmed a new daily nonstop service between Mumbai and Dar es Salaam starting November 2026, only its second destination on mainland Africa after Nairobi and a direct competitor to Air Tanzania on the same route.

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Hyderabad Airport Cuts Departure Fees and Adds a New Arrival Charge From 1 September 2026

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad began charging a User Development Fee on arriving passengers for the first time from 1 September 2026, while cutting its departure fee by roughly 30 percent under a new AERA tariff order.

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The EU Is Weighing a New Surcharge on Top of the €90 Schengen Visa Fee

A European Council working group has begun discussing a 'harmonised European surcharge' on the standard €90 Schengen visa fee, with one scenario adding around €18 per application; no decision has been made and there is no confirmed date.

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Philippine Airlines Will Launch Nonstop Manila-Delhi and Manila-Mumbai Flights From December 2026

Philippine Airlines has announced nonstop Airbus A321neo services connecting Manila with Delhi and Mumbai from December 2026, pending Indian government approval, opening a new direct link as Indian arrivals to the Philippines climb.

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Thailand Has Cut Its Visa-Free Stay From 60 Days to 30, Effective 15 September 2026

Thailand's Royal Gazette has formally ended the special 60-day visa exemption introduced in 2024, reverting to a standard 30-day visa-free stay for most eligible nationalities from 15 September 2026.

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Australia Has Raised Its Visitor Visa Fee by 25 Percent, and Indian Travellers Have No Cheaper Alternative

Australia raised its Visitor Visa (subclass 600) application charge from A$200 to A$250 from 1 July 2026, and because Indian passport holders aren't eligible for the country's cheaper eVisitor or ETA streams, the increase applies in full to most Indian tourists.