Struck by wanderlust, Indians queue up to explore Europe in non-traditional seasons; visa delays expected
Europe's allure seems intact for Indian travellers.
Visa applications for European destinations have jumped year-on-year after the summer vacations as Indians unleash their wanderlust to explore Europe in autumn and winter as well.
Travel and tourism industry executives said this has stretched visa appointment timelines for many European countries, with some offering no slots at all.
For instance, no appointment slots are currently available in Delhi for Italy, Portugal and Iceland. Appointments are available after 90 days for Germany in Delhi and after 40-45 days in Mumbai, these people said. No slots are available for Norway in Mumbai and for the Netherlands in Mumbai and Delhi.
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«Netherlands is a challenging destination,» an industry insider said, hinting at the difficulty in getting a visa to the country.
E-visa startup Atlys said it is seeing a 67% year-on-year increase in visa applications for Europe in the post-summer months this year.
«As a result, securing visa appointment slots, particularly for popular destinations, continues to be a challenge with wait times averaging three to four weeks in some cases,» said Mohak Nahta, founder and CEO of Atlys.
Besides, a celestial spectacle, due later this year, is contributing to the tourist rush to Europe. Rajeev Kale, president and country head-holidays, MICE & visa at Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, said this year offers an «unparalleled» opportunity to view the Northern Lights.
Chasing the northern
