The Republic of South Africa has included Ukraine in the list of countries whose citizens can apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the country, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Mozambique reported.
The innovation allows Ukrainian citizens to submit an application remotely without personally visiting the South African embassy or a visa center. The applicant must register in the electronic system, complete the application form, upload the necessary documents and a photograph.
According to the Ukrainian diplomatic mission, after submission of a complete package of documents, the application should be processed within no more than 24 hours.
At the current stage, ETA is available to Ukrainians for trips to South Africa for tourism or private purposes. The maximum duration of stay under such an authorisation is up to 90 days.
The issued electronic entry authorisation can be used within 180 days from the date of issuance.
An application can be submitted on the official website of the Department of Home Affairs of the Republic of South Africa: South African ETA. The official system confirms the possibility of applying for an Electronic Travel Authorisation online.
At the same time, at the initial stage, ETA cannot be used at all border crossing points. Entry with an electronic authorisation is available through four international airports in the country: O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport, Lanseria International Airport and King Shaka International Airport in Durban.
These airports are equipped with the necessary systems for checking electronic authorisations and passengers’ biometric data.
The embassy recommends that Ukrainians additionally check the current ETA requirements and the conditions for entry into South Africa before traveling, as the procedure for using the electronic system may change as it is further implemented.
The introduction of ETA significantly simplifies the organization of tourist and private trips by Ukrainians to South Africa, since previously obtaining permission required going through the traditional visa procedure.
Miroslav Bojchin, Chairman of the Board of PJSC “European Travel Insurance,” was named the winner in the “Insurance Market Leader of the Year” category as part of the 30th anniversary nationwide “Person of the Year 2025” program.
Boychin has been working in the international insurance business for over 20 years. He holds three advanced degrees, including in foreign languages, finance, and management. He began his professional career in government agencies and has worked in the insurance industry since 1996.
Since 2005, Boychin has worked for the international insurance groups Generali, Munich Re, and EIG. In 2006, he became the head of “European Travel Insurance,” which specializes in travel insurance. Since 2021, he has also served as chairman of the supervisory board of the insurance company “Euroins Ukraine.”
Under Boychin’s leadership, “European Travel Insurance” has strengthened its position in the Ukrainian travel insurance market and expanded its customer base. According to the company, the number of its insured customers exceeded 1 million in 2025.
The company specializes in insurance for travelers going abroad, medical and travel insurance, as well as travel-related insurance products. “European Travel Insurance” is a member of ITIA, an international group of specialized travel insurers that brings together companies from several countries.
The company notes that in recent years, one of its key priorities has been adapting its insurance products to changes in the travel patterns of Ukrainians, growing demand for medical care abroad, and new risks associated with martial law.
In addition to its insurance activities, “European Travel Insurance” participates in social and charitable initiatives, including providing funds to support Ukrainian military personnel.
The nationwide “Person of the Year” program has been held in Ukraine since the 1990s and annually honors representatives from business, government, culture, sports, and other fields. In 2025, the program was held for the 30th time.
Open4business is the program’s information partner.
On September 11, 2026, in the Romanian city of Turda, located in Transylvania near Cluj-Napoca, the ancient Roman castrum of Potaissa—one of the most significant military fortresses of Roman Dacia—was officially opened to the general public. Prior to this, following the completion of restoration work, the site had been accessible primarily to organized groups.
The castrum was built around 168–170 CE for the 5th Macedonian Legion, which was deployed to Dacia during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. The military base covered an area of about 23.4 hectares, measured approximately 573 by 408 meters, and was designed to house several thousand Roman soldiers.
In 2024, Potaissa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the serial site “Frontiers of the Roman Empire—Dacia.” The entire Romanian complex comprises 277 individual sites of the ancient Roman defensive system, stretching over 1,000 km.
The project to restore and adapt the castrum for tourism has been in the works since 2016; the agreement for European funding was signed in 2018, and the main work was completed in 2024. According to the Turda City Hall, the final cost of the restoration work amounted to 22.97 million lei excluding VAT, while the total investment, including other expenses, was estimated at approximately 30 million lei, or about 6 million euros. Most of the funding came from European funds.
For visitors, the remains of the Principia Legion command building, Roman roads, bastions, gates, and thermal baths have been restored and preserved. The tour of the ancient baths is organized in a particularly unusual way: a protective structure has been built over the archaeological remains, featuring a system of suspended walkways with a total length of about 230 meters, allowing visitors to view the ruins from above without damaging them.
At the same time, a significant portion of Potaissa still remains underground. Archaeologist Sorin Nemeti told Romania’s ProTV that of the nearly 24 hectares, about 1 hectare has actually been excavated to date. Archaeologists already have an idea of the complex’s underground layout, but a complete study of such a site could take many more decades. Thousands of artifacts related to the daily life of Roman soldiers have been discovered during the excavations.
For Ukrainian tourists, Potaissa is relatively close. From the Romanian side of the Porubne–Siret border crossing to Turda, it is about 338 km by road. The distance from Lviv is approximately 480 km, and from Kyiv—about 830 km by road. Travel time depends significantly on border crossing wait times.
The most practical route from Ukraine is by car via Chernivtsi and the Porubne–Siret border crossing, then through Suceava toward Transylvania and Turda. Without a car, you can take a bus via Suceava and Cluj-Napoca. The nearest major international airport is in Cluj-Napoca, about 39 km from Turda; buses run from the airport to the city, and the trip takes about 20–40 minutes. Since Ukrainian airspace is currently closed to civilian aviation, this option is primarily relevant for travelers arriving in Romania from other European countries.
The number of foreign tourists who visited Spain in July rose by 4.6% year-over-year, reaching 11.539 million people, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
This is a record high for any month since records began in 1995.
The largest number of tourists last month came from the United Kingdom—nearly 2.2 million—followed by France (1.6 million) and Germany (1.2 million).
The number of visitors from other European countries rose by 10% to 1.12 million.
The Balearic Islands welcomed the most tourists (2.57 million), followed by Catalonia (2.37 million), Andalusia (1.69 million), and the Valencian Community (1.63 million).
Total spending by visitors to the country in July rose by 10.9% year-over-year, to EUR 18.22 billion, or an average of EUR 1,579 per person.
From January through July, tourist arrivals to Spain rose by 4.6%, to approximately 58.1 million people. This is also a record figure for that period. Foreign tourists spent EUR82.05 billion in the country over the seven-month period.
According to “Serbian Economist”, Ukraine ranked sixth among Montenegro’s foreign tourism markets in July 2026 in terms of the number of overnight stays in collective accommodation facilities, as evidenced by new MONSTAT data published on August 27.
Ukrainian tourists spent 43,400 nights in hotels, tourist complexes, hostels, and other collective accommodations. In total, approximately 7,350 tourists from Ukraine stayed at such accommodations during the month.
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, the United Kingdom, and Russia ranked ahead of Ukraine in terms of the number of overnight stays. Ukrainians accounted for about 4.4% of all overnight stays by foreign guests.
At the same time, the flow of tourists from Ukraine remains fairly stable. The number of tourists from Ukraine has remained virtually unchanged compared to July of last year, while the number of overnight stays decreased by approximately 3%.
Serbia remains the leader in Montenegro’s tourism market, accounting for about a quarter of all foreign overnight stays. At the same time, the influx of Russian tourists rose sharply in July: the number of overnight stays by Russians increased by more than 60% year-over-year.
In total, 244,800 tourists and 1.08 million overnight stays were registered in Montenegro’s collective accommodation establishments in July. Foreigners accounted for over 90% of overnight stays.
However, the actual role of Ukrainians in Montenegro’s tourism sector is greater than what the July hotel statistics indicate. MONSTAT does not include private apartments and vacation rentals—which Ukrainian tourists actively use—in this monthly report. As of 2025, Ukraine accounted for 4.7% of foreign overnight stays in Montenegro’s private sector.
Greece ranks first among European countries in terms of seasonal growth in short-term rental prices: in the summer, the average rental price is 54.9% higher than in the rest of the year, according to data from the analytics platform AirDNA.
The AirDNA study was published on May 21, 2026, and updated on May 29. Analysts compared the average daily rate (ADR) for short-term rentals in June–August with the rate for the remaining nine months of the year.
In Greece, the average off-season rate is 112.64 euros per night, while in June–August it rises to 174.46 euros. Thus, the seasonal premium reaches 54.9%—the highest rate among the European countries analyzed.
Croatia ranks second, with summer prices 37.6% higher—€154.28 compared to €112.09 during the rest of the year. Portugal ranks third, with a seasonal increase of 36.5%, to €160.06 from €117.27.
Seasonal fluctuations are particularly pronounced on popular Greek islands. On Mykonos, the average cost of a short-term rental rises from approximately 458 euros during the off-season to 758 euros per night in the summer—an increase of 65.6%.
At the same time, even more dramatic fluctuations are observed among individual European resorts. For example, Portimão, Portugal, shows a seasonal increase of about 71.6%, but Greece ranks first overall among countries.
The sharp rise in prices is accompanied by steady demand. According to AirDNA estimates, before the start of the season, the number of nights booked in Greece for June–August 2026 was approximately 9.3% higher than a year earlier. For July, the growth in early bookings was 13.5%, and for August, 11.4%.
Actual statistics for the summer confirm the high price levels. In June, the average cost of a short-term rental in Greece reached 178.8 euros per night, an increase of 12.2% year-over-year, while the European average was 150.05 euros, up 7.5%. At the same time, the number of available properties in Greece decreased by 2.5%, to approximately 156,000
. In July, the average price rose to 200.35 euros per night, which is 12.8% higher than in July 2025. The European average rate was €159.20, up 8.2% year-over-year. Revenue per available night in Greece increased by 14.3% to €142.8.
Over a longer period, the growth is even more pronounced. According to AirDNA, the average cost of a short-term rental in Greece has increased by approximately 100% over the past ten years—from about 100 euros in 2016. Over the past five years, the increase has been about 38%.
However, the claim that Greece “has outpaced all of Europe in terms of Airbnb price growth” should be interpreted with caution. The top ranking specifically refers to seasonal summer growth—that is, a comparison of June–August with the rest of the year—rather than annual price growth. Based on actual July data, year-over-year growth in Greece was 12.8%, compared to an 8.2% average across Europe.
