Chinese tourists are among the most demanding
Chinese tourists have been named among the most discerning in the world. According to Travel Daily News, based on a national survey, a third of Chinese always stay in four- and five-star hotels, and 10% exclusively in luxury hotels, spending on average $3,000 per person per trip. In addition, Chinese travelers pay great attention to the quality of service and food, as well as the level of excursion organization. Most will not go on a tour without obtaining full information about it from the Internet, and the most popular destination for them remains Asian countries. //Travel.ru
Children of non-citizens will not be able to obtain Estonian citizenship
The Estonian government last week rejected a bill proposed by the opposition Center Party that would automatically grant Estonian citizenship to children of non-citizens of Estonia living in the country on the basis of a permanent residence permit. This was reported by the government press service.
According to the Estonian Ministry of Justice, this bill "would change the essence of Estonia's citizenship policy without sufficient justification." Under the current Citizenship Act, parents of children under 15 may file a petition for their children to obtain Estonian citizenship, while children themselves can only do so from the age of 15.
The authors of the bill believe that Estonia should fulfill its obligations arising from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the Estonian authorities ratified back in 1996. The convention states that the rights of children must not be violated. In addition, the drafters believe that automatic granting of citizenship to children would also help integrate parents into Estonian society. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg, who visited Estonia in early October, recommended automatically granting citizenship to children born there, noting that he relies on the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child.
Estonia is home to more than 118,000 residents who have no citizenship, accounting for approximately 8% of the country's total population (1.4 million people). //RIA Novosti
German passports to include fingerprints
Starting November 1, 2007, German citizens wishing to obtain a passport must provide fingerprints of their index fingers, reports ZDF television.
The fingerprint data will be stored on a special chip along with a digital photograph, date of birth, and the document holder's name. According to authorities, the introduction of mandatory digital fingerprinting greatly increases security.
No ink will be used for fingerprinting; a special scanner has been developed for this. The entire procedure will take no more than 20 minutes. People whose index finger is injured can provide a fingerprint of another finger. The new system was tested in the summer of 2007 in 28 registration offices in Germany.
Special attention has been paid to protecting data from unauthorized access. Reading is only possible through a special device, each of which is individually certified. In addition, the chips also have electronic protection. The cost of a new passport issued for 10 years will be €59. A passport for six years, for persons under 24, will cost €37.50. //Lenta.ru
Refugees to cost Netherlands hundreds of millions of euros
The large-scale distribution of residence permits to refugees, the number of which ranges between 25,000 and 30,000, will cost the Dutch state at least €329 million, but will ultimately allow savings of several hundred million.
These conclusions follow from a report by the state secretary submitted to parliament. The exact number of those who will receive residence permits remains unknown, and it is also unclear how many people will be eligible for social benefits. According to the state secretary, the justice department plans to release exact figures early next year. //RUS.nl
USA – the most unfriendly country from tourists' perspective
According to The Times, entry conditions to the USA have been called unjustifiably strict, and US immigration service workers are the rudest in the world. As representatives of US travel associations claim, the situation needs to be changed urgently: fewer and fewer travelers come to America precisely because of the overly strict visa regime and rudeness of immigration authorities.
Of the approximately 44 million people who visit New York annually, only 18% are foreigners, and nationwide these figures are even lower, despite the potential profitability of tourism in America. In the near future, the government will develop an advertising campaign to attract travelers, and will also try to at least partially revise entry norms.
Notably, the situation does not change from year to year: a similar study was conducted a year ago, and even then tourists named the USA the most unfriendly country. The report from the RT Strategies research center stated that two-thirds of travelers fear being detained at entry due to a minor error in documents or an ill-timed word. //Travel.ru
Ranking of cost of living at UK universities compiled
The independent website for applicants Push.co.uk has published information on the cost of living at UK universities. It turned out that student expenses on food, drink, and accommodation vary across different universities in the country.
The most expensive in terms of accommodation and food, according to the site, are London's Royal Academy of Music and Imperial College, surpassing even the famous Oxford and Cambridge. Bradford, Glamorgan, and the University of Wales can claim the title of the cheapest in terms of student costs among British universities.
The website presents a table compiled according to the cost of living index, which helps to take into account all factors when choosing an educational institution. The index is developed based on three indicators: housing conditions, food, drinks. The cost of living at each university is compared to the national average, taken as a reference point and set to 100. The Royal Academy of Music index is 168, the Bradford index is 73.
The site creators believe that there is a direct link between the high cost of living at a university and the percentage of private school graduates among its students. A third of students at the most expensive universities are private school graduates.
“When deciding which university to attend, applicants are looking for something more than a place of study,” said Johnny Rich. “They choose a home, a lifestyle, and the amount they are willing to pay for it. That's why we conducted this research. And it showed that the differences between universities are greater than we could have imagined.” //Gazeta.Ru
Best cities of the United States named
According to a national survey conducted by CNN and Travelandleisure.com, the best cities in America are New York, New Orleans, Portland, and Charleston. A total of 60,000 Americans took part in the vote: their task was to award various nominations to 25 cities.
The most interesting museums, according to respondents, are in Washington; the most beautiful people can be found in Miami, and the smartest in Seattle; the tastiest barbecue is made in Austin, and the best pizza in Chicago; the cleanest city is Minneapolis, and the most colorful is San Francisco. The full list of winning cities can be found on the website www.travelandleisure.com. //Travel.ru