International Travel & Health Insurance Journal

Japan will sharply increase tourist visa fees from 1 July, raising costs by more than 400% in the first major change in nearly 50 years. Single-entry visas will rise from JP¥3,000 to ¥15,000 (about $19 to $93). Multiple-entry visas will increase from ¥6,000 to ¥30,000 (around $37 to $186). The change affects travellers from more than 100 countries, including major source markets such as China, India, and Vietnam.

African health authorities have warned that the cost of responding to the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen dramatically, with funding requirements now estimated at almost US$1.4 billion – nearly three times the initial projection of $518 million.

Acclaim and Trulydata have announced a strategic partnership aimed at tackling long-standing fragmentation in international insurance payments and administration.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has outlined plans for a major public education campaign designed to improve consumer understanding of insurance products, while rejecting proposals to introduce minimum policy standards on price comparison websites.

Airbus is supporting urgent inspections of a subset of Airbus A380s following an emergency directive from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after cracks were detected in wing spars. The directive covers 16 aircraft, requiring five to be inspected before next flight and the remainder within 25 flight cycles, with most operated by Emirates and one by Qantas.

At least 32 people have died, and 700 were injured, following earthquakes in the South American nation of Venezuela. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake was reported, with an epicentre 160km (100 miles) west of the capital city of Caracas at around 6pm local time on 24 June. It was followed shortly after by a magnitude 7.5 tremor. A number of buildings have collapsed, including in the capital, and critical damage has been reported to both health and public transport infrastructure in the affected region.

Europe can no longer be considered a low-risk destination when it comes to severe weather disruption, according to the latest Hurricane Informer 2026 report from Safeture and travel risk intelligence provider Riskline.

Croatian lawmakers have approved new powers allowing municipalities to restrict nighttime alcohol sales in shops, in a policy shift aimed at tackling tourism-related public disorder in key destinations. The change is expected to be closely monitored by travel insurers and assistance providers, particularly given its potential impact on alcohol-related incidents and claims patterns during peak season travel.

France has confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after a doctor returning from a humanitarian mission tested positive for the virus, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. The patient is isolated in a specialist infectious diseases unit, with contact tracing underway. Authorities stressed that the risk to the wider European population remained low due to rapid detection and established containment systems.

New research from international health insurance specialist William Russell has identified the countries where expats are likely to face the greatest challenges when settling abroad, highlighting the importance of preparation and support during international assignments. The study analysed factors including migrant population, foreign-born employment rates, and visa openness to produce a “welcoming score” for expats. Japan ranked as the least welcoming destination, scoring just 3.91 out of 10.