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Are you arranging your summer vacation These five credit cards come with travel benefits.
The arrival of summer brings with it the excitement of a much-needed vacation. Whether you're planning a quick trip to a nearby tourist area or a longer stay at your ideal location, the correct credit card can help you save costs and obtain new perks. Customers enjoy credit cards that offer travel perks like free hotel stays and lounge access. The top five credit cards to use this season for travel to India and beyond are listed below. The top credit cards were chosen by Mastercard after accounting for minimal currency markup fees, hotel memberships, free lounge access, and travel perks.Picture courtesy of Axis Bank Depending on your spending patterns, the Axis Miles & More World credit card gives an endless amount of miles, and the miles you accrue are perpetual. The acquired miles can be redeemed in a variety of ways, such as by purchasing tickets from partner airlines, upgrading an existing ticket to a higher class, taking advantage of hotel booking incentives, and shopping at partner physical locations or online. If you fulfill the spend requirements, you can also receive four complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter and free priority pass membership for your Miles & More Axis Bank World credit card. At partner eateries, credit cards will receive 40 percent off up to Rs 1,000. A 3.5 percent forex markup fee is applied by the card to all foreign currency transactions. An yearly charge applies.Image Source: HDFC Bank | The HDFC Infinia credit card comes with free priority pass membership and unrestricted access to airport lounges worldwide for both primary and add-on users. Cardholders receive discounts of up to 15% at more than 3,000 eateries and 20% at Marriott Hotels. Users receive medical insurance worth Rs 50 lakh and travel insurance worth Rs 3 crore. Additionally, cardholders can earn up to 10X points on travel and shopping purchases made through Smartbuy, and 2X points on eating purchases, Infinia online transactions, and Air Vistara reservations. These points can then be redeemed for airline miles with top airlines. When paying with foreign currency, the bank levies a two percent forex markup fee. TherePicture Credit: ICICI Bank With Priority Pass membership, the ICICI Emeralde Private Metal Card provides unrestricted access to both local and international airport lounges in addition to comprehensive travel insurance coverage. When using this credit card to make travel reservations, there are no cancellation fees. When paying with foreign currency, the bank levies a 2 percent forex markup fee. This credit card has an annual fee of Rs 12,499 + taxes. If you use the card for purchases totaling more than Rs. 10 lakh during the year, the charge will be reimbursed.Image Source: Axis Bank | The Axis Bank Magnus credit card provides concierge services and limitless free access to airport lounges worldwide. In addition to a 40% discount at nearly 4,000 restaurants nationwide, it provides a 15% discount at The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts and Trident Hotels in India. When paying with foreign currency, the bank levies a 2 percent forex markup fee. This credit card has an annual fee of Rs 12,500 plus taxes. If your expenditures for the previous year were more than Rs 25 lakh, the annual charge is waived.Picture Credit: HSBC Bank Unlimited free access to domestic and foreign lounges as well as concierge services are provided by this credit card. Upon card activation, users will receive a Rs 12,000 Taj Experience gift card along with epicure membership across all Taj hotels. It allows reward points from more than 20 domestic and international airlines to be converted 1:1 into airmiles. For payments made in foreign currency, the bank levies a 0.99 percent forex markup fee. This credit card has an annual fee of Rs 20,000 plus taxes.
Published 06 Jun 2024 11:36 AM
Travel boom in India: A record number of Indians will be traveling the world in 2024
The Mastercard research emphasizes how rising middle-class travel is driving the expansion of global tourism. A record number of Indians are traveling abroad at the same time as India is growing in popularity as a travel destination.An unparalleled increase in the number of Indian tourists experiencing international places has been observed in 2024, a year of great significance for the travel industry in India. Data from the most recent report on travel trends (2024) by the Mastercard Economics Institute, "Travel Trends 2024: Breaking Boundaries," indicates that India's expanding middle class, along with more routes available and a larger traveler base, has helped the country reach new heights in international tourism.A decade ago, it would have taken a full year to reach the astounding 97 million passengers that Indian airports welcomed in the first quarter of 2024. This increase is a result of India's strong economic growth and increased per capita disposable income, which are fueling the country's residents' strong desire to travel abroad.India's domestic travel industry has experienced a notable surge, with passenger volume up 21% from 2019 levels. Furthermore, there has been a notable surge in foreign travel from India, with a 4% rise in passenger traffic as of March 2024.In March 2024, Chennai accomplished a noteworthy milestone when total passenger traffic surpassed pre-pandemic levels. This was a critical turning point in the tourism industry's ongoing recovery. Over the previous year, Bengaluru has continuously kept its domestic passenger traffic numbers above that of 2019. This resilience is partially explained by the city's service industries seeing a renaissance and the progressive return of employees to their offices.
Published 06 Jun 2024 11:36 AM
The government of Haryana announces paid holidays for voters who work in neighboring states.
The dates of the polls in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, UT Chandigarh, and NCT Delhi have been designated as paid holidays for employees of all Haryana government offices, boards, corporations, educational institutions, and various factories, shops, commercial, and private establishments located in Haryana, in accordance with Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.In addition, under Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, workers of various factories, shops, commercial, and private establishments located in Haryana who are registered voters in the aforementioned states and UTs will be entitled to a paid holiday to exercise their right to vote.The notification makes it clear that workers will only be eligible for paid time off on the day of the election in each of their parliamentary constituencies.
Published 06 Jun 2024 11:35 AM
Thailands New Program Will Provide Up To $14,000 In Medical Coverage For Visitors
In an effort to entice travelers back after the pandemic, Thailand has launched a program to provide up to $14,000 in medical coverage in the event of an accident, the country's tourism minister announced on Thursday. Under the new plan, the government will pay up to 500,000 baht ($14,000) in expenses and up to one million baht in compensation in the event of a death. The kingdom's vital tourism industry was severely impacted by travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, and arrivals have not recovered as quickly as officials had hoped.According to AFP, the new Thailand Traveler Safety program launched on January 1 and will run through August 31. Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol is the minister of tourism. "The campaign aims to assure foreign tourists that Thailand is safe and everyone will be under good care," she stated. For a long time, young travelers from all over the world who are looking for sun, sand, and excitement have been drawn to the kingdom. However, mishaps are not unusual, and in the past few months, there have been multiple accounts of young Europeans being left with large medical bills and insufficient insurance.The Thai government makes it clear that mishaps brought on by "negligence, intent, illegal acts" or reckless behavior are not covered by the program. Travelers can sign up for the program at tts.go.th, the website for Thailand Traveller Safety. In 2023, there were about 28 million tourists to Thailand, up from 11 million in the previous year but still far less than the 40 million that arrived in 2019, the final year before the pandemic.
Published 15 Feb 2024 04:11 PM
Travel & Holidays
Travel & Holidays is one of the most joyful sector and everyone love to go for holidays and vacations and want to relax.
