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    TRAVEL & TOURISM                                                          JULY 31, 2026    |  The Indian Eye 41

              Japan to End Instant Tax-Free                                                                       UAE to establish

                                                                                                                    Food Cluster in
                            Shopping for Tourists                                                                  Andhra Pradesh

                 apan will overhaul its popular                                                                         AE Minister of Economy and
                 tax-free  shopping  scheme  for                                                                        Tourism Abdulla Bin Touq Al
            Jforeign  tourists from Novem-                                                                        UMarri met Andhra Pradesh
            ber  1,  2026,  replacing  the  current                                                               Chief  Minister  N.  Chandrababu
            instant tax exemption at stores with                                                                  Naidu  at  the  State  Secretariat.  Ac-
            a  refund-based  system  processed  at                                                                cording to the release, the UAE dele-
            airports  and  seaports  before  depar-                                                               gation held discussions with the Chief
            ture. The move is part of the coun-                                                                   Minister on setting up the UAE Food
            try’s  broader  efforts  to  streamline                                                               Cluster in Andhra Pradesh.
            procedures  and  curb  misuse  of  the                                                                    During  Chief  Minister  Chan-
            tax-free  shopping  programme  while                                                                  drababu  Naidu’s  Davos  visit  earlier
            managing  record  levels  of  interna-                                                                this year, the UAE had expressed its
            tional tourism.                                                                                       willingness to establish the Food Clus-
                Under  the  existing  system,  eli-                                                               ter in the state.
            gible  foreign  visitors  can  purchase                                                                   The UAE has decided to develop
            goods worth at least ¥5,000 at desig-                                                                 a value chain for the food processing
            nated tax-free stores and receive an                                                                  sector in Andhra Pradesh. A partner-
            immediate  exemption  from  Japan’s                                                                   ship has been established between the
            10% consumption tax by presenting                                                                     Andhra Pradesh Government and the
            their passport.                                                                                       United Arab Emirates for the project.
                                              plify the process by eliminating sev-  prompting  authorities  to  introduce   The value chain will facilitate the
            Beginning in November 2026,       eral  existing  restrictions.  The  dis-  measures aimed at managing over-  export of horticultural produce, includ-
                                              tinction  between  consumable  items
                                                                                tourism and strengthening tourism
                                                                                                                  ing mangoes, bananas, cocoa, and oth-
            however,  travellers  will  be re-  and general goods will be removed,   infrastructure.  Officials  maintain   er products, to international markets.
                                                                                                                      The meeting was attended by the
            quired to pay the full tax-in-    spending  caps  on  consumables  will   that  the  tax  benefit  itself  remains   UAE  delegation,  Andhra  Pradesh
                                                                                unchanged, with only the refund pro-
                                              be  abolished,  and  the  requirement
            clusive price at the time of      for special sealed packaging will end.   cess being modified.       Minister TG Bharath, and senior of-
                                                                                    Travel  experts  believe  the  re-
            purchase and claim a refund       Purchases will remain eligible for re-  vised system may add an extra step   ficials from the Food Processing De-
                                              funds if they total at least ¥5,000 per
                                                                                                                  partment,  Industries  Department,
            only after customs verification   store per day and are taken out of Ja-  for visitors but is unlikely to dampen   and  the  Economic  Development
            when leaving the country.         pan within 90 days.               Japan’s appeal as a shopping destina-  Board (EDB).
                                                  The  changes  come  as  Japan   tion, given the continued availability   In month of January, Chandraba-
                                              grapples with a tourism boom. The   of  the  tax  refund  and  the  country’s   bu Naidu visited Switzerland to attend
                Japanese authorities say the   country welcomed a record 42.7 mil-  enduring popularity among interna-  the World Economic Forum in Davos.
            revised “Refund Method” will sim-  lion  international  visitors  in  2025,   tional travellers.          Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister
                                                                                                                  Chandrababu  Naidu’s  four-day  tour
                                                                                                                  to  Davos,  Switzerland,  involved  in-
            EU Unveils New Guidelines to Promote Sustainable Tourism                                              teracting  with  several  global  leaders
                                                                                                                  and inviting investments in the state
                                                                                                                  by showcasing its favourable business
                  he European Commission has   rural,  coastal  and  mountainous  re-  attract visitors, creating a “conserva-  environment.
                  released new guidelines aimed   gions.                        tion paradox” where growing tourism   During his visit, CM Naidu met
            Tat  strengthening  sustainable       The Commission said the frame-  can threaten the very ecosystems that   with top executives of 15 prominent
            tourism across the Natura 2000 Net-  work will help site managers and na-  draw travellers. The new recommen-  global companies, showcasing Andhra
            work,  seeking  to  balance  economic   tional authorities  integrate  tourism   dations aim to address this challenge   Pradesh’s  favourable  business  envi-
            growth with biodiversity conservation   planning  with  conservation  objec-  by  promoting  long-term  planning,   ronment and policies.
            in  more  than  27,000  protected  sites   tives. It recommends assessing visitor   monitoring visitor flows and ensuring   He invited them to invest in the
            spread across the European Union.  pressure,  determining  the  ecological   tourism  development  remains  com-  state and explore opportunities in var-
                The guidelines position the   carrying capacity of destinations, im-  patible  with  habitat  restoration  and   ious sectors such as pharmaceuticals,
            world’s largest network of protected   proving visitor awareness and im-  species protection goals.   medical  devices,  technical  textiles,
            areas as a key driver of Europe’s tour-  plementing management measures   The initiative aligns with the Eu-  and  rail  components,  the  CMO  re-
            ism economy while ensuring that sen-  that minimise environmental impacts   ropean  Union’s  broader  strategy  to   lease stated.
            sitive ecosystems, habitats and wildlife   while  supporting  local  communities.   build a resilient, competitive and envi-  The  World  Economic  Forum
            remain safeguarded. Tourism contrib-  The  guidance  also  places  renewed   ronmentally responsible tourism sec-  (WEF) convened 56th Annual Meet-
            utes approximately €807 billion to the   emphasis  on  ecotourism,  encourag-  tor. By encouraging sustainable desti-  ing in Davos from January 19 to January
            EU  economy  and  supports  over  20   ing  responsible  travel  practices  that   nation management, the Commission   23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000
            million jobs, with Natura 2000 desti-  conserve nature and create socio-eco-  hopes the Natura 2000 Network will   leaders from more than 130 countries
            nations alone generating an estimated   nomic benefits for residents.  continue  to  support  regional  econo-  at a moment of heightened geopoliti-
            €50–85 billion annually and sustaining   Officials  noted  that  well-pre-  mies  while  preserving  Europe’s  rich   cal tension, economic uncertainty and
            up to two million jobs, particularly in   served natural landscapes increasingly   natural heritage for future generations.  rapid  technological  transformation.

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