In an attempt to give a new image to the Australian tourism market, the nation will unveil its new slogan “Australia Unlimited”. The slogan is a part of the federal government’s urge to give a new identity to Australia as a brand. Recently, the government has launched a new tourism advertisement as well, named “There’s Nothing Like Australia.

Simon Crean, the Trade Minister for Australia asked the country’s marketing agencies in August, last year to turn up with a catchphrase, or maybe a logo that can represent Australia and be able to endorse it on international level. He urged the agencies that the catchphrase should be able to capture the liveliness of contemporary Australia that could also be used to promote country’s trade, investment and education.

So, the search for the new slogan all started in 2009 and recently the government has decided to unveil it very soon. The slogan has already been launched domestically. Now the Trade Minister will uncover the same internationally at the Shanghai World Expo, this month.

Reportedly, “Australia Unlimited” has outdone two other slogans, viz. “Positively Australian and “A+” in a survey which interviewed 14,000 people across fourteen countries. The slogan has been appreciated by many who think that the new phrase gives an idea about the country as a fresh and unconventional place to visit, while some others criticized the idea as too business-like.

For information regarding obtaining Australian visas, contact an Immigration and Visa consultant!

The Bulgarian Tourism Sector has obstructed the amendments in the requirements to provide visas to the citizens of Russia. It has been reported that the changes have been implemented just before the commencement of the summer season.

The changes were declared in the later stages of the week, hence elaborating that the amendments would have negative effect on the nation’s tourism sector, especially when the competitors in the tourism sector are hiking at every single stage. Therefore, the changes are not taken in the right direction.

According to the newly applied regulations, online applications have been barred altogether, in addition to hiking the fee for application procedure. In addition, it has become necessary to provide at least five copies to prove the documents in applicant’s favor. The application fee at the Moscow center has been hiked. Earlier it was EUR 9 and now it been increased to EUR 12, a facet which is not suiting a majority of applicants.

The verbal announcement came into effect from April 16. The requirements were stated to big Russian travel agents. But now the Chamber is trying to convince the Foreign Ministry to make amendments in the announced requirements to ensure that Bulgarian tourism does not face adverse effects on its existence.

Stats have confirmed that one-fourth of Russians have applied for Bulgarian visas as far as stats since January are concerned. The figures are compared from the season in the year 2009.

Traveling has always been a pleasurable experience! It is meant to be pleasurable, because we do travel to unwind ourselves by escaping from our day-to-day busy lives. But, there might be instances in almost everyone’s life when their travel plan did not turn out to be the same as it was meant to be. So, what goes wrong with such travel plan? An unplanned trip or lack of homework is the reason of an unsuccessful trip, mostly, if not always. Yes, every traveler should indulge in little homework before they set to start their journey.

Nothing can be the better reference for your homework than the experienced. One cannot go wrong with a travel plan by consulting people who have roamed around the world a lot. They will be more than happy to offer you some tips. Well, if we start to give you travel tips, it would not end at one go. So, why not talk about the best Travel Secrets? Let’s start.

• Surf the Net: This is the age of the Internet! Now, everything is at your doorstep. With your personal computer at your home, you can collect as much information about your travel destination as you can. Include this job as part of your homework. Learn a bit about the local language, dress or overall culture of the place. This would make you feel much comfortable in a new place.
• While traveling overseas: The foremost thing when you decide to take a break and fly to a foreign country is to consult an Immigration and Visa consultant. Be proactive and collect all the information regarding the requirements of documents needed for obtaining a tourist visa, with considerable amount of time in hand. Remember, this is no last-minute job!
• Get yourself insured: Yes, this is one of the most important aspects of traveling. With lots of insurance companies available in the market, you would not find it difficult to search one for you. But, the point is to choose the appropriate travel insurance, which could cover mishaps during the trip, medical treatment, and any other activities, such as adventure sports which you contemplate to participate in.
• Put the “essentials” in place: Be very careful before leaving your home. Every fine detail, right from your visa to insurance policy, from credit cards to air tickets needs to be at the right place that is with you. Ensure to make duplicate copies of each document and keep them at home.
• Be watchful with your actions: There is nothing embarrassing than breaking the laws in a foreign country. Be a responsible traveler and obey the rules and regulations, even if you are there for a few days. In addition, show your respect to the local people. Do not try to invade the locals’ privacy. Ensure permission for entering religious places or other protected places.
• Try to cope up with the environment: Yeah, you are smart enough to get my point. A glance at the surrounding is enough to get an idea of what the place is about and how its people like travelers to be. Make sure you speak a few words of the local language while interacting with the locals. Besides, you must be aware of the fact that there are some countries where modest dress is appreciated. So, do it according to the environment!
• Do not forget about your health: Health is undoubtedly the most important aspect, be it while traveling or while at home. However, you need to be more cautious when you are traveling far from your home. Because, you never know whether the climate of a different place would suit you or not. Here comes the importance of precautionary measure into play. If you are suffering some health problems, make sure you consult your doctor beforehand and get some tips!
• What about lodging?: When it comes to accommodation, here is a suggestion. Unless you are on a luxury trip, do not consider staying at expensive hotels. If you are on a budget trip or indulging in holiday activities make more sense to you, avoid luxurious hotels, instead choose a lodge or a cottage. In fact, these options are much more exciting than a hotel, while at the same time it saves a lot of bucks.
• How can the entertainment factor be left?: A camera is a must while you are traveling a new place. Capturing the spectacular views would help you keep your memories fresh for the rest of your life.
• Never get too much baggage: If you are planning to take all your favorite clothes with you, sorry to say, but you are really not thinking smart! Apart from carrying the most important belongings, you should make your baggage lighter as much as possible. Think again, you are going to pick up a lot from the country you are traveling.

The secret of a successful trip lies in acting smart! Keep these things in mind next time when you plan to travel!

Traveling is an integral part of human life. Or, rather life is a long journey! If it is so, then why sometimes we have the urge to escape from your daily life/journey. Maybe, that’s because, in our lives we always strive to run away from the daily chaos…maybe we need to get rejuvenated for bigger plans in our life.. or maybe we want to run away from ourselves. And in this process, we search for places or indulge in traveling, which is one of the best ways to stir up our lives!

While, it is impossible to explore the whole globe, still I believe there are several people who have traveled most of the places that are known to the mankind. So, people out there, do you want to add some more places to your list of “already visited places”?

Here, we are going to take you to a virtual trip to some of the unspoiled and least visited places on the earth. I bet, if you were not a good geography student in your school days, you have never heard of these places; if heard, then have not known about these places much! These are really amazing places and if you are really an ardent traveler, you would definitely love to visit them. And there is always more fun to explore unspoiled places!

• Tristan da Cunha: Basically, a cluster of islands which is  2816 km away from South Africa and 3360 km from South America. Tristan da Cunha is often touted as the remotest island on the globe. Many of you might have visited the nearest places to this island, so next time when you plan your visit, make sure you include the island in your itinerary. For your information, it lies in the midway between South Africa, Cape Town and Buenos Aires of Argentina. It is located in the South Atlantic.

  Now, how would you feel to be in such an isolated place on the earth, detached from the busy world and chaos? Can’t imagine?? But the reality is that people inhabit the Tristan da Cunha. Named after the discoverer Tristao da Cunha of Portugal, the island has a great history of discovery and settlement. When you visit the island, make sure you take some note of the facts. It’s interesting!

• Oymyakon: When your life seems miserable at –25 degree C in Canada, what would life be in the coldest place on earth? Yes, it exists in the remote village in the Sakha Republic, Siberia. Oymyakon with average low temperature of –49.2 degree C is the coldest place on the planet. Of course, you can’t think of visiting this place without lots of fur. How would people survive this extreme condition? Pondering? You better be!!
• Socotra Island: When it comes to extreme places on earth, Socotra Island cannot be left out. Regarded as the “most alien-looking place” on the planet, the island is captivating enough to attract visitors with its unique varieties of flora. Located in the Indian Ocean and a part of the Republic of Yemen, Socotra is one of the most isolated islands on earth. However, the best part about this island is that it has an airport. See, you can now even plan a trip to Socotra!
• Bouvet Island: Situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, Bouvet Island is definitely a remote place on the planet. Its remoteness and inaccessibility is supported by the fact that the nearest landmass to the island is a part of Antarctica. Now, can you imagine life in such a remote place. Give your imagination an end, and let us tell you that Bouvet Island is uninhabited! However, if you are part of research groups or a traveler, you can definitely give the island a visit!
• Barrow, Alaska: We have always been fascinated by the stories revolving vampires, right? Now, would you like to visit a place that is known for vampire attacks, if reports are to be believed! Barrow in Alaska is a place with extreme climate, better known as Polar climate, where it is believed that its inhabitants are prone to vampire attacks, resulting in gradual dwindling of the city’s population. Sounds scary? Nevertheless, it would be a different experience visiting one of the extreme places in the extreme northern hemisphere. If you have got the guts, sure this is a place to be included on your list!
• The Pitcairn Islands: This is the world’s least populated country, with not more than fifty inhabitants. Situated in the Southern Pacific Ocean, this group of islands surely deserves your visit. Treats for your eyes await there in the Pitcairn Islands.

These are a few examples of extreme places on the same planet where we live. If you are thinking that these isolated places are far from civilization, then you are wrong. Most of the places are inhabited, however, you cannot find dense population over there. They hold the nature at its best. With untouched and unspoiled beauty, they captivate generations of tourists over many decades! Now, it’s your turn to explore the beauty and witness not-so-common flora and fauna of these places!

When you think of traveling Australia, the list of places doesn’t even end. It is good to have a priority list, however, this applies to those who are visiting the country for travel purpose. Otherwise, if you are immigrating to Australia, you have all the time to roam around the country! Basically, if your trip to Australia is a brief one, the idea of priority list is for you!

Putting down the number of must-visited places to three or four is the smartest way to do and this way you can enjoy your trip to the fullest. By choosing a few places for one trip you can spend quality time and indulge in the activities that you contemplate to do in those places.

Well, when it comes to putting down your list of prospective places in Australia, one can’t afford to leave out Perth from the list. Do you? Of course, No! Being the capital city of Western Australia and one of the most prominent cities in the continent, Perth deserves your visit. Since, you are not going to miss out a visit to the city on your coming trip to Australia, here is a little about the Perth weather.

People love Perth for varied reasons; weather however, one reason remains common with everyone. Yes, the city is loved for its sunny and friendly weather! People enjoy the weather of Perth as much as they enjoy its all things metropolitan!

Often called as the sunniest city on the globe, Perth carries the sense of romance in its air! It enjoys a Mediterranean climate, from which it is clear that it has a sunny and fine weather almost throughout the year! Summers in Perth start towards the end of December and last for almost three months till February. The days are warm, yet friendly and the hottest months in the city are January and February. Rainfall is almost absent during summers. The best thing about the warm days is that people get to enjoy the famous sea breeze, Fremantle Doctor!

Winters in Perth are cool and moist. Winter days usually start from June and last till August. This is when the city receives rainfall, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

Spring and autumn are regarded as the best seasons to visit Perth, when the weather is just FINE! Spring begins in September and most likely to lasts till November and autumn approaches in March and prevails through May.

Perth is a great place to be in, irrespective of the purpose of your visit! Hire the service of an Immigration and Visa consultant if you wish to migrate to Australia and make PERTH your home!

Martin Ferguson, Australian Tourism Minister, in his recent interview with IANS, said that Indian economy is applauded as the tenth biggest economy of the world. In addition, the nation is facing tremendous growth period, an aspect that would surely generate opportunities for masses who are interested in the “tourism” aspect!

Despite the recent spate of the racial attacks, Oz is intending to have more Indian tourists, captivating on the 11.9 percent jump in the inflow of visitors last year. The minister said that despite the recession, Australia got a good inflow of visitors last year. According to the statistics, 120,500 Indian tourists came to Australia last year. The stats point out an increase of 11.9% as compared to 2007-08.

The Minister said that Aussie as a country is gradually becoming as an applauded and prospective travel destination as compared to other places like Britain and North America. The main reason as to why Aussie is emerging as a major attraction is because it offers a wide range of adventure activities, he further added

Ferguson said that people of all genres come to Australia. Some spend a fortnight here, stay in luxury hotels, visit some destinations like Sydney and look for adventurous activities! Also, in attempt to lure other Indian tourists, Australia would be coming out with various attractive campaigns with airlines companies, in order to provide competitive travel packages.

Also, keeping in mind the popularity of Internet, the Tourism Australia website is getting all ready to serve its global target audience in the best way possible, the Minister later said.

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has set a number of rules and regulations on shipping goods by people who migrate to or enter the UK. Arriving UK is not really complicated as long as you abide by the rules. Just obey these rules and you are free to enter the nation!

If you breach the rules set by HMRC, there are possibilities that you may be taken into custody or detained. You are not allowed to bring certain things across UK border. Thus, a little knowledge about the UK custom regulations comes handy when you are planning to travel the UK.

The HMRC has divided the goods into 4 categories. They are:

• Things that can be brought across the UK free of charge.
• Things that can be brought across the UK, however, which may incur charge, such as duty/value added tax.
• Things that can be brought across the UK, but with legal permission.
• Things that should not be brought across the UK.

Interestingly, visitors are permitted to bring alcohol, tobacco, perfume into the UK free of charge, however, there is as limit to the amount. These allowances, except the perfume are only meant for people who are over 17 years old.

Go through the UK custom regulations before you plan to enter the country in order to avoid any undesirable incident! Or you can hire professional help to know about the rules and regulations. For a smooth entry to a country, it is very important to know its limitations! Safe and Happy traveling!

Nature lovers and sports enthusiasts can find perfect comfort and harmony in Wellington, New Zealand! In short, an amalgamation of both extrovert and introvert activities at one spot! What else can one ask for! The culture, the famous tourist destinations, the diversity in cuisines, and the fascinating ambiance, everything is just perfect in Wellington and play a crucial role in applauding it as one of the hottest tourist destinations!

Some of the must-try options in Wellington are:

• Museum located on Queens Wharf: The monument symbolizes the various facets linked with the New Zealand history. For those who are eager to dive in the pool of NZ history, can take part in the Te Papa history event that happens on an annual basis.
• The Botanic Gardens in Wellington hold various events every year. For instance, a one hour tour that happens on the last Friday on May holds an altogether different charm. The event happens at other instances also. Another even hosted by the Botanic Garden is the Sensation walk that happens on May 26 every year.
• Cuban Carousel Celebration happens at the Opera House in April and is draped with various activities like singing and dancing.
• Relax minded people can head on towards Waterfront Walkway and watch the fisherman commencing their regular day-to-day activities in their beautiful yachts. Trust me, no better view would provide you with a better feeling than this!
• Waterfront lovers can straight away head towards Lyall Bay. The beautiful beach is perfect for you and your beau to spend some quality time together and capture those moments forever in your heart! Fun loving people have the freedom to indulge in outdoor activities like surfing on those beautiful waves.
• If you are with your kids, take them to Wellington Zoo! Kiwi, of course is a must-watch option here!

No matter where you drive in Wellington, your eyes would be treated with the fantastic views of the harbor and the city; no doubt it is regarded as the most picturesque city!

The life is here…

The enchanting beaches, beautiful volcanic cones and stupendous hills, Auckland has all of what it takes to be an alluring holiday destination! The addition of museums, fun parks and other amenities add cherry on the cake, every time you visit this amazing place!

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, which means that more amenities and tourist destinations are offered to the tourists as compared to other cities. The streets are wide and offer some of the cleanest ambiance for the visitors. It is also a business hub and is arrayed with plenty of offices, companies and firms, to provide a quick glimpse of the business culture of New Zealand. In addition, it is a perfect hot-spot to enjoy various delicacies at one place. The involvement of bars, clubs and night pubs offer an escape from the monotonous lifestyle and add that much needed spice in your life, which you craved for, since ages. Auckland has something to offer to everyone! Amid the happening culture and night life, geeks can find some respite in the applauded libraries of Auckland, with a majority of them offering open spaces to skim through your favorite novel with a cup of hassle-nut cappuccino.

Now let us talk something about the marine life of Auckland! It is called “City of Sails,” courtesy its wonderful docks and sea side views! Visitors can enjoy various enthralling water sports like sailing, fishing, surfing with their loved ones, like never before. Sports lovers can find some solace in outdoor activities like sky diving, kit boarding, cave, bungee jumping, to name a few.

Auckland is also famous for its beautiful gardens. You can also visit the Puha Conjon Park or go to the famous zoo with your sweet kids. Even adults would enjoy the experience! Other not-to-miss-options are Broadway Street – applauded as a perfect shopping destination; Pernell Risa and Road – famous for its historical homes and architecture and last but definitely not the least, Otara Market – known for budget shopping options!

Still Thinking? Auckland is waiting for you! Just go for it!

Italy was recently acknowledged as “the most welcoming country” in the entire Europe. Contrary to Australia, that has left no scope in getting the tag of a racist country; Italy, on the other hand, claims that THERE IS NO RACISM in the country what so ever.

Andrea Ronchi, the European Affairs Minister, confirmed that Italy shows no signs of racism, and only those people who do not know Italy can make allegations for the same! He further blamed the rest of the Europe that left Italy to face the problems of immigration of its own.

He stated that Italy would provide a free tour to all those people who have accused the country and show them as to what Italy is all about! It offers solidarity and a welcoming attitude to everyone who enters its premises. At the same time, it is also true that “ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION” too exists as a violent phenomenon.

He further called all those who accuse Italy as a racist country as being STUPID! He applauded Italy as the most welcoming country, days after residents attacked African farm workers who were found complaining and agitating against their conditions. Reports say that various residents and immigrants were left injured in the Italian town of Rosarno.

Several incidents have been witnessed where immigrants were bashed seriously and left wounded. Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, stated that these incidents are a result of “too much tolerance towards clandestine immigration“.