Poland proposes five-year Schengen visas

The Polish Embassy on Friday declared a willingness to issue Russian tourists five-year Schengen visas if they have already used two Schengen visas.

If the unprecedented decision comes to fruit it will cause a sharp increase in tourist flows into Poland, believes the Russian Travel Industry Union.

However, at the moment, tourists are facing unprecedented difficulties in getting Polish visas for New Year's holidays.

Polish council Michał Greczylo wrote to tour companies announcing the news. “Persons, who wish to visit Poland for tourism and have two correctly used Schengen visas, may apply for a multiple entry visa valid for up to five years,” quoted a letter byGreczylo as saying. The letter, however, stresses that the rule will apply “on an individual basis.”

Russian Travel Industry Union called the idea “unprecedented,” given that no other EU countries offer Russians long-term tourist visas on a regular basis.

Many countries have eased visa sanctions, like Spain, which introduced six months visas and saw “an increased flow of Russians,” said the union’s spokesperson Irina Tyurina.

“Even now, to get a Schengen visa for one year – it’s good, two years - happiness, and for five years – fantastic,” she said.

The union is expecting an influx of tourists to Poland, recalling that this is the main transit country for bus tours through Europe.

According to the Polish consulate in Moscow, 67,000 visas were issued in 2011. Rosturizm stats say more than 22,000 Russian tourists visited Poland in the first half of 2011, which is 1,500 more than for the same period a year ago.

However, the process of applying for a Schengen visa in the Polish embassy in Moscow is very difficult.

Unlike, for example, the French Consulate, the Polish authorities do not accept booking confirmations from the most popular online hotel booking systems (like booking.com), requiring a fax from the hotel to confirm that a 50 percent payment for services has been made, and in most cases - the original of the booking with stamp and confirmation of its payment in full.

The consulate also does not have a visa center, leaving long queues outside the embassy. It is possible to register online, but the closest date for a Schengen visa appointment is on Jan. 10, 2012.In late November, tour operators complained to Greczylo that because of the sluggishness of the consulate they cannot send clients to Poland for the New Year’s holidays.The Polish Embassy did not confirm any plans to issue five-year visas.Tour Operators of Russia executive director Maya Lomidze said that “none of the operators have seen” the five-year visas, stressing the uncertainty of the situation in the way it will be carried out in practice.

Ukraine: A Unique, Untamed Travel Destination

I grabbed my last Tim Horton’s double-double, said goodbye to my comfortable bed and warm water in the bathroom, and boarded the plane for Ukraine from Toronto.

My brother and I landed in Kiev early in the morning and the Ukrainian capital greeted us with warm sunny skies and a bustling airport.
Situated in the North, Kiev is half way between the west and the east—polar opposites as far as the average Ukrainian is concerned.
The western regions of Ukraine are known as the “real” Ukraine, home to the vast majority of Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians.
The east and most of the south are the Russian-speaking half, even though any Ukrainian can understand both languages.
When I was growing up, I learned Russian from the popular comic TV series “Yeralash.”
We took the train to Ternopil, and noticed there is a relaxed air about everything people do there as we walked through the streets.

The “grandmas” in the central bazaar—the largest marketplace in Ternopil—munch on sunflower seeds casually as they wait for customers.
Ternopil is known throughout the country as the city of churches, cathedrals, and shrines.
Various occupants in western Ukraine, like Turks and Poles, brought different styles of architecture that make each church a unique destination.
I remember most the Church of the Holy Spirit in my grandfather’s village of Rohatyn.
Built in 1598 with massive oak girders and without a single nail, the church is a key character in a classic tale.
It was here that Tatar invaders kidnapped 15-year-old Roksolana during her wedding to a common villager.
Soon, Roksolana became one of the most famous wives of a powerful Muslim Sultan, Suleiman Pyshnyj.
She stayed loyal to her homeland by advising the Sultan not to invade the villages of Ukraine, and is still celebrated in the country today.
My brother and I visited relatives and friends in villages across Western Ukraine and enjoyed real—and I mean real—food.
Everything from meat, potatoes, bread, cheese, cabbage rolls, beetroot, and horseradish sauce was home-made.
This is the food that I grew up on and the rich tastes without preservatives or additives brought back pleasant childhood memories.
Everywhere we went, Dan and I left with a car filled with gifts of food: a whole bag of potatoes, huge jars of marinated apples and plums, milk, cheese, eggs, and greens.
No journey to Ukraine is complete without a visit to Lviv, a cultural mecca for traditional Ukrainian arts and crafts, theatre, music, dance, food, and historical monuments.
Restaurants there often offer a unique theme, like the historical journey of a chimney sweep, or that of a politically incorrect Jewish-themed restaurant where the trick is to bargain for a lower price on your bill.
The most recommended restaurant was Kryjivka where we had to tell the guards dressed as Ukrainian partisans a pass code to enter.
The pass code symbolically reflected the spirit of Ukrainians in their fight for freedom against Russian communists.

The guards would declare “Slava Ykrayini!” meaning “Glory to Ukraine!” to which visitors would reply: “Glory to the heroes!”
In May and June, Ukraine is covered in white and pink blossoms from the cherry and apricot trees scattered through the streets, in the yards of apartment buildings, and anywhere with enough sunlight to grow.
Wild but domestic, they offer fruit for the masses.
In Ukrainian cities, people live almost exclusively in condominiums that are 10 floors high with four apartments on each floor.
But the city is often circled by houses that sometimes cluster into suburban villages.
Rather than lawns, however, these houses have potato gardens, which were buzzing with grandmas and kids planting when we were visiting.
Ukraine’s transit system is well developed with many bus stops and frequent schedules, although all routes stop at midnight.
Fortunately, you can get from one side of the city to the other by taxi for $2.50.
Mini buses seat 20, but 40 squeeze on.
Those who get on through the rear doors pass their fare to the front hand-to-hand, trusting each person to pass their money forward, with the change returning the same way.
Ukraine is untamed compared to Canada.

You can smoke anywhere, the drinking age is half-heartedly enforced, and police expect you to bribe them with $15 if they catch you speeding.

Traffic lights go through the colour yellow twice, like in formula one racing: get set-ready-go.

The preference for who crosses the road first follows a simple class hierarchy—if you have a Porsche, you go first.

Then comes the pedestrian, and then the Soviet Union-made Volgas, which still exist from the time of the Second World War.

But this is what makes Ukraine a unique travel destination.
I wondered why Ukraine hasn’t yet become a popular tourist destination for North Americans.

Ukraine might have struggled against the oppression of foreign powers for hundreds of years, but what remains constant for every Ukrainian is the spirit.

People are loyal, warm, and generous.

I felt the Ukrainian spirit in the bazaars, in family circles, and in the hearts of all Ukrainians, and that’s how I remember my motherland.

Traveling To Odessa, Ukraine: Top Tourist Attractions And Sightseeing Spots

ODESSA, Ukraine -- Odessa in southern Ukraine is a major seaport destination located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea.
It is known for its preserved cultural and historical structures that come from a number of styles like Art Nouveau, Renaissance, and Classical. Many of its tourist attractions and monuments feature Russian, French, Italian, and Mediterranean influences.

The Potemkin Stairs, also often referred to as the Potemkin Staircase or the Odessa Steps, was immortalized in film history with the cinematic masterpiece of Russian filmmaker and film theorist Sergei Eisenstein, the "Father of Montage."

The said 1925 classic film entitled "Battleship Potemkin" featured a striking sequence called the "Odessa Steps," showing the violence, mutiny, and chaos during the 1905 rebellion of the crew of the Russian Battleship Potemkin against the officers of the Tsar.

This silent film is usually shown in film theory and film history classes in film schools.

Built by F. Bofford from 1837 to 1841, the Potemkin Stairs is now a very famous landmark attraction in Primorsky Boulevard, Odessa.

The Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater, technically known as the Odessa National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet, is the oldest theater in Odessa. It is also considered one of the most beautiful theaters in Europe.

This famous edifice was opened in 1810, but destroyed by fire in 1873. It reopened in 1887 after the rebuilding made by Fellner and Helmer.

The Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater features unique acoustics that allows even a whisper from the stage to be heard at any part of the theater.
The Pushkin Monument in Ukraine is dedicated to the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. This monument was built in 1889 by sculptor Z. Polonskaya and architect K. Vasilyev. It features a bronze model of Pushkin with a granite pedestal.

The monument recollects Pushkin's productive one-year stay in Odessa from 1823 to 1824, a time where he made his classic poems "Tzigans" and "The Fountain of Bakhchisaray." During that time, he also wrote part of his renowned novel entitled "Eugene Onegin" in Odessa.

The Pushkin Monument is situated opposite the Odessa City Hall. The city also named one of its main streets, Pushkinskaya, in his memory.
The Odessa Seaport offers a wonderful picture of Odessa's modern metropolis. Over two centuries ago, Catherine II of Russia turned the area into a seaport. Now, it is one of the largest passenger terminals in the Black Sea basin.

The Odessa Seaport features the sights of many international ships and cruise liners, all benefiting from the port's modern cargo-handling equipment, computers, and communication facilities. This seaport also provides a spectactular landscape for sightseeing and photography.

Hong Kong And Ukraine Sign Visa-Free Agreement And Customs Co-Operative Arrangement

HONG KONG -- The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today signed a visa-free agreement and a Customs Co-operative Arrangement with the Government of Ukraine at the Government House.
The Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, and President of Ukraine, Mr Viktor Yanukovych, witnessed the signing ceremony.

The Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee, on behalf of the HKSAR, signed the Agreement on Mutual Abolition of Visa Requirements with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Mr Kostyantyn Gryshchenko.

The agreement provides visa-free access to HKSAR passport holders visiting Ukraine for a stay of up to 14 days.

Likewise, Ukrainian nationals will also enjoy 14 days' visa-free access to Hong Kong. "The agreement will enter into force on November 3, 2010 after completion of the internal procedures," a spokesman for the Security Bureau said.

"We welcome the signing of the agreement. This is a significant step forward for the travel convenience of Hong Kong travelers, which will help promote trade, business and tourism between the HKSAR and Ukraine," he added.

The availability of visa-free access to Ukraine has brought the total number of countries/territories agreeing to grant visa-free access or visa-on-arrival to HK SAR passport holders to 142.

Also at the ceremony, the Commissioner of Hong Kong Customs and Excise, Mr Richard Yuen, signed a Customs Co-operative Arrangement with the Chairman of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, Mr Ihor Kaletnik,regarding co-operation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters with the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

"The signing of the Customs Co-operative Arrangement signifies the mutual commitment and determination of the two customs administrations to enhance co-operation in combating transnational smuggling and criminal activities.

And both parties are committed to co-operating more closely through mutual administrative assistance on matters relating to information exchange and enforcement of Customs laws," the spokesman said.

Hong Kong Customs and Excise has so far signed Customs Co-operative Arrangements with 17 of its counterparts.

Foreign Ministry: No obstacles to introduction of visa-free regime between Ukraine, Israel

There are no obstacles to the introduction of a visa-free regime between Ukraine and Israel, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Yeliseyev has said.

"There will be a visa-free regime [with Israel], and I hope this will become a reality very soon. There are already no obstacles on this way," he said live on Channel 5 on Thursday evening.

Yeliseyev said that the last domestic procedures were currently being conducted and a respective bilateral document was being agreed. He also said that Kyiv was in talks with Croatia on the possibility of signing a bilateral agreement on a visa-free regime between the two countries, however, in his words, a certain amount of work has yet to be done in this area

Russia's Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered cruiser plies English Channel

The Russian nuclear-powered cruiser Pyotr Veliky, deployed to participate in the largest Russian Navy drills in the Indian Ocean, has crossed the English Channel for the first time in her history.

"The ship has indeed passed through the channel for the first time," the commander of the cruiser, Capt. 2nd Rank Felix Menkov, told a RIA Novosti correspondent on board the vessel.

"The English Channel is shallow...and has a great deal of potential risks, including heavy marine traffic both to the south and the north," Menkov said.

Six days after leaving Russia's Northern Fleet headquarters of Severomorsk, Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) traveled around 4,000 kilometers (2,160 nautical miles) and entered the Atlantic Ocean.

During her six-month tour of duty, the warship is to pass through the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea before entering the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal.

The Pyotr Veliky will conduct maneuvers in the Indian Ocean with other ships from the Black Sea Fleet and will make port calls in the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean, the Russian Navy said.

Russia's largest and most powerful surface combatant warship, Pyotr Veliky has a displacement of between 24,000 and 26,000 tons, and a speed of up to 31 knots (almost 57 km/h). The ship is 251 meters in length and has a crew of more than 700 sailors.

Tourist-hungry nations ease visa rules for Ukrainians

fter two years in the doldrums, travel companies should receive a boost this summer as countries ease visa regimes for Ukrainians.
The initiatives by authorities in Croatia, Greece and Israel are expected to drive a new spurt in holidays abroad. With airlines rushing to launch flights to these new hot destinations, operators hope for a quick return to the pre-crisis market.

“The main reason is visa liberalization,” said Vyacheslav Burdyukov, general director of Wind Rose travel company.

As the crisis hit, incomes dropped and the hryvnia plunged, meaning Ukrainians had less money to spend on foreign holidays, and what they had didn’t go as far. In the last two years, tour operators report a drop in clients of 30 to 40 percent.

But the crisis also served as a spur for countries such as Croatia to open up their borders to try to attract more tourists and boost their struggling economies. Last year, the number of Ukrainian tourists to Croatia jumped to 37,000 from 31,000 in 2008, an 18 percent rise, after the need for a visa was waived during the summer months. The visa regime has again been cancelled from April 1 to Oct. 31 this year.

Greece was one of the European Union countries worst hit by the crisis, and is making a drive to attract tourists. Travel companies say they have an agreement with the embassy in Kyiv to ease applications for those who buy packages. The Greek embassy was unavailable for comment.

With hoteliers also expected to keep their prices low in order to boost visitors, operators are placing bets on Greece as a big hit this summer.

“Realizing that the number of tourists from Europe will drop, Greek hotels are eyeing up the [Ukrainian] market and offer a new balance of price and value,” said Arkadiy Maslov, commercial director of Tez Tour Ukraine, one of the largest tour operators on the Ukrainian market.

Turkey and Egypt are traditional favorites for tourists given their close location, affordability and the fact that a visa can be purchased on arrival. Croatia and Greece are expected to gain in popularity as they share a similar climate, miles of stunning coastline and reasonable prices.

According to various estimates of market players, the price for a seven-day vacation to Greece will range from 400 to 1,000 euros, depending on the month.

Airlines have also spotted the opportunities of these new destinations, starting up commercial and charter flights and making them even more attractive to holidaymakers.

“Before, the only way to get [to Croatia] was by bus. With several airlines on market, this will change,” said Burdyukov from Wind Rose, which already offers flights.

Ukraine International Airlines is set to begin regular flights to three Croatian towns from May.

“There will be a total of three or four air carriers to Croatia, which will make flights available for $250-350 for a round trip,” said Burdyukov.

Another country set for visa liberalization and an increase in airlines is Israel. The country has already significantly liberalized its visa requirements and is expected to cancel it by autumn 2010, when the travel season starts there.

With most people’s budgets still tight, planning your own trip is an increasingly popular, cheap way to travel. But Ukrainians are often reluctant to plan their own trips because of the difficulty of obtaining an EU visa, distrust in online booking and a lack of English.

Some companies offer special courses in arranging a trip to Europe, applying for a Schengen visa or even offer to organize a low-cost trip for you.
“My friends in Europe do not understand what I charge for,” said Orest Bilous, the founder of MakeMyTrip.com.ua, which sells ready-made, low-cost tours and personally tailored trips to destinations around the globe.

The company arranges trips using the web sites of nearly 30 low-cost airlines and hundreds of booking pages, available to everyone for free but unfamiliar to most, to offer discounts.

The crisis has also changed the shape of the travel industry in other ways. With many smaller travel agencies going out of business, the sector has consolidated and witnessed the arrival of several foreign tour operators.

European travel operator TUI Group this year purchased Kyiv travel agency Voyage-Kyiv, which owns Halopom po Evropakh, or Around Europe at a Gallop, a network of 60 tour shops across Ukraine. Another example is the acquisition of mid-size local travel company MIBS Travel by Russian tour operator Yuzhny Krest.

TUI Ukraine marketing and sales director Taras Demura said the company’s major focus will not be on offering cheap breaks, but guaranteeing quality.
He believes the Ukrainian travel market is likely to grow rapidly, as only two percent of the population currently travels abroad, compared to 60 percent in Germany.

Demura said it’s a question as much of attitude as of money, something he expects to change. “Ukrainians would rather buy new clothes than spend money on vacations, unlike Germans. We expect that priorities will change in the future and the percentage of travelers will grow to 15 percent within the next five years,” he said.

Ukraine's Crimea Sparkles With A Variety Of Impressions

SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine -- The hills of this region are a golden yellow hue because of the sunburnt grass. The houses are painted in bright colours to reflect the heat of the sun and beyond the poplar tree avenues cypresses stretch into the sky.
It could almost be Tuscany in Italy were it not for the numerous examples of Lenin statues and red stars. What at first glance appears to be a scene in Tuscany is in fact Ukraine's Crimea. If you want a bit more history than Dolce Vita when on holiday, then the Crimean peninsula is perfect.

Crimea's characteristic limestone landscape is the first thing you see from the plane. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of caves to be found in the porous rock. "Humans lived in these caves over 300,000 years ago," says Dimitri Udonov, a tour guide on the peninsula. "During the war first Russian, and then German soldiers, took refuge here. Each cave was a battlefield."

For three-quarters of a century Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. It is impossible to avoid that long phase of the country's history. Lenin, for example, is ever present when walking around Sevastopol with its 300,000 residents. Hammer and sickle symbols can still be seen everywhere.

Beyond the symbols of former Soviet might there are plenty of examples of Crimea's cultural side such as the city of Kherson. In the year 988 AD Tsar Vladimir was baptised there, thus opening Russia to the Christian religion.

Beside the ruins of the church where he was baptised a magnificent basilica stands today. Corinthian columns and other architectural remains testify to human habitation over 2,500 years.

This region was the home of the Crimean Tartars for several hundred years. The Tartars were the successors to the tribe of Genghis Khan. Kherson is the location for the ancient residence of the Khan's governing body, the Divan. Today, visitors can view the fountain inside the Harem room, which once inspired the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

In 1855 another great literary figure arrived in the Crimea to observe the conflict then taking place: Leo Tolstoy. Tolstoy witnessed Russia's attack on Turkey and the attempt by Britain and France to defend the country.

Later, their attempt to contain Russian expansion would lead to the Crimean war - the first modern war using machineguns and ironclad warships. Russia eventually failed in its attempt and was forced to sell its possession in Alaska to raise funds to pay its debts. The battlefields of Balklava and Inkerman are today favoured destinations of British tourists.

World War Two also left its mark on the Crimea. Of the 2.2 million German Wehrmacht soldiers that died on the eastern front, 400,000 are buried there. "20,500 are buried in Goncharov but we are constantly adding more to the list," says Maria Ivanova who works for the German War Graves Commission.

"In the past war veterans used to come here. They were old men who would suddenly break out into tears," she recalls. "But today it's their children who are 60-years-old and more who want to know where their fathers spent their final hours."

To this day the Crimea remains a place of dispute. Russia would like to have authority over the region which was given to Ukraine in 1954. Russia's Black Sea fleet is stationed there and the Crimea remains a very popular destination for Russian holidaymakers.

It also appears that Ukraine is divided into eastern and western oriented citizens. But all of them are united when it comes to wine. The local wine is the best in the world, according to Ukrainians, and Crimean sparkling wine rates alongside Champagne

Canny tourists go bargain-hunting

Tourism both in and out of Russia is being hit hard by the economic crisis this year, but the situation offers holidaymakers more chances to pick up a bargain, say tour operators.
A key indicator for tourism, the passenger flow at airports, shows a depressing picture for the industry. Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport, for example, has seen 10.3 per cent fewer passengers compared to last year, while the situation in regional airports is even worse.
And across the country, international flights over the first seven months of the year were 16.5 per cent down compared to the same period last year, while domestic flights were down 17.3 per cent. Changes in seat occupancy were minimal, however - airlines cut back on flights to keep seat occupancy above 70 per cent.
Industry players insist, however, that things aren't as bad as they feared, as discounts by hotels have cut the costs for tourists.
"Earlier this year, the mood in the industry was disturbed and even apocalyptic," said Maya Lomidze, executive director of the Russian Tour Operators Association.
Hotels had lowered their prices by 30 per cent or 40 per cent, she said.
"Prices in tours to popular destinations fell by an average of 15 per cent to 20 per cent. Although the price drop was not very significant in roubles, these prices still proved attractive for Russian holidaymakers," she said.
To cope with falling demand, agencies began offering special discounts and throwing in free extra nights for those who booked early. This tendency looks as if it will continue for the winter vacation season as well, Lomidze said.
The number of tourists coming to Russia has also fallen off, with 15 per cent fewer tourists coming to the country, the Russian Tourism Union said recently.
According to the State Statistics Service, there were 136,000 fewer visitors in the first half of 2009, compared to the same period last year. In some parts of the country, the fall-off has been as much as 25 to 30 per cent.
However, some of these "tourists" are from the Baltic states and Turkey, who are often businessmen travelling on tourist visas.
Cruises to St. Petersburg are among the worst-hit areas for tourists coming to Russia, with numbers falling as much as 30 per cent, while the number of Japanese tourists has been hit by concerns over swine flu.
Despite lagging figures from most European countries, there was a sudden spike in visitors from Israel (up 20.5 per cent), as Russia and Israel recently scrapped visa requirements in a bilateral deal.
For Russians holidaying abroad, package tours to Turkey and Egypt remain the most popular options - partly because it is easier to get a visa for those countries.
Such trips in late September were being offered from $400 per week at one Russian travel agency, and another agency had similar offers starting from $360.
For those on a tight budget, early booking is a money saver. Already, there are early booking discounts for ski vacations this winter, if you look hard enough.
"The important thing is to keep carefully checking the websites of various agencies for information about discounts and good offers," Lomidze said.

Flying fists in turbulent skies

Passengers behaving badly are nothing new in Russia's skies. From thwarted Romeos to stroppy stewards, it seems that almost anything can take off into a full-blown fight.
A rejected lover started an in-flight fracas - and ended up footing a $30,000 bill when his 2007 trip from St. Petersburg to Turkey was forced to return to Pulkovo airport.
The man began flirting with a female fellow passenger, but when the would-be Cupid had his wings clipped he reportedly punched her in the face, prompting a brawl with her companion.
Cabin crew was unable to restrain the pair and the plane returned to St. Petersburg. Last week a court ruled that the grounded lover should pay Rossiya airline's 290,000-rouble costs.
In another recent incident, British-based Russian artist Galina Rusanova, admitted attempting to bite cabin crew on a trans-Atlantic flight after downing a mix of in-flight drinks, prescription drugs and liquid soap from the bathroom. She was jailed for 22 days by a US court this week.
Late last year police were waiting on the tarmac at Yekaterinburg's Koltsovo airport to apprehend drunken passengers who had begun fighting on a flight from Thailand. Sometimes the roles are reversed, though. A passenger on an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Nizhnevartovsk in July 2004 was beaten up by flight attendants after complaining about poor on-board service.