Travel to Switzerland

Switzerland and Hong Kong have reportedly signed a bilateral double taxation agreement (DTA), extending administrative assistance in tax matters in accordance with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) standard. According to the Swiss Federal Administration, the administrative assistance clause is in line with the key points agreed by the Federal Council. The agreement with Hong Kong marks the twenty-fourth DTA containing the extended administrative assistance clause.

Following the Federal Council decision of March 13, 2009 to extend administrative assistance in tax matters, Switzerland has initiated corresponding negotiations with numerous states. Indeed, since then, the Federal Council has approved the first ten dispatches of revised DTAs conforming to Article 26 of the OECD's Model Convention, and has submitted them to parliament for approval.

Switzerland's Federal Administration stated that: "Along with extending administrative assistance in tax matters, Switzerland has also been able to negotiate various economic benefits with these states. This policy will be pursued and further negotiations are already envisaged with important countries. Thanks to the agreement with Hong Kong, it has been possible to establish the basis for strengthening the bilateral economic relations and eliminate competitive disadvantages."

This is an interesting chess move by one of the key players in the International Tax Competition game.

While many smaller centres rush to sign more invasive TIEAs Switzerland continues to cleverly pursue the signing of DTAs with mutual benefits for each country wherever possible. With information exchange and fiscal transparency becoming part of the fabric of the International Business Stage in the 21st century DTAs and low tax (as opposed to nil tax) resident companies are without doubt the way forward for many nil or low tax centres. For example just as Mauritius has become the gateway for investment into Indian a concerted (Offshore practitioner led) push by Seychelles to sign DTAS with key African nations could see Seychelles become the investment gateway into Africa.

When it comes to higher education, parents are often seen counseling their offspring about the merits of pursuing a course overseas. Students are also reckoning the fact that pursuing higher education on foreign shores adds a great deal of invaluable experience and a certain degree of potency in one's career prospect. Imagine a situation where you are asked to go and study in Switzerland. Wouldn't that be implausible? Unquestionably, it will be.

Actually Switzerland never had to prove itself as a fulfilling and perfect place to pursue one's higher education. Most of the folks know Switzerland as the land of honeymoon. This is due to the fact that it is abode to some of earth's prettiest natural sceneries like snow capped mountains, etc. It is now on the top of the list of study abroad destinations as thousands of Students pour in to this paradise for educational purpose. The gathering of students from all over the world proffers a rich environment where students get to indulge in inter cultural mix up and learn more about different societal and cultural norms.  This will definitely help an individual in augmenting his/her outlook and the way he/she understands life. The quality of education imparted in Switzerland is of international standards and the fee pricing structure is comparable to that in the states.

Particularly noticeable is the flattering studying environment which not only lifts spirit but also infuses a sense of excitement. The plethora of options accessible in the top universities in Switzerland might also bewilder you as they proffer courses pertaining to disciplines such as arts, humanities, science, technology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, architecture, languages, hotel management, business, music, cuisine, etc. The classrooms which accommodate lesser number of scholars make certain that every student is given apt guidance and individual attention. The research and development facilities accessible in the top universities in Switzerland also ensure that scholars aren't devoid of the chance to go that extra mile.

The distinguished institutions are the colleges which proffer hospitality courses. They are the utmost destination for students who want to pursue a course in hospitality as their standards of teaching are unsurpassable. One also has loads of extra curricular activities to indulge in on weekends in Switzerland; the most appealing being snow skiing. Students can contact Swiss embassies in their respected countries for consultation on Visa and other paper work. Scholars can also apply for study in Switzerland scholarships which financially aids one's study during his/her stay. There are scholarships proffered by the Switzerland government and there are others which are provided by universities and colleges themselves. There also exist financial aids which are provided by private institutions, but they come with their own conditions.

Students can also avail confederation scholarships, exchange scholarships, etc. When it comes to the top universities in Switzerland, the name that crops up in mind are as follows: - École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, ETH Zurich, International Hotel, Tourism and Culinary Management Institutes (IMI), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, University of Basel, University of Bern, University of Fribourg, University of Geneva, University of Lausanne, University of Lucerne, etc.

Switzerland's largest city, Zurich, is one of the few places in the world that actually caters to everyone. Many of the city's inhabitants are multilingual, with the majority of the residents speaking German (or more specifically, Zurich Swiss German, a regional dialect that is quite different from the traditional German language), followed by English, French, and Italian. As a truly global city, a wealth of business, cultural, and educational opportunities abound, making for a richly diverse population of over a million people. According to an annual survey conducted by the consulting company William M. Mercer, Zurich is the city with the highest quality of life on the planet. No wonder, then, that thousands of tourists flock to it each year.

Zurich accommodates visitors of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, race, gender, sexuality, or social class. Children and their families have many options to choose from, including the outstanding Zurich Toy Museum (Fortunagasse 15, 8001 Zurich), which has free admission and features over 1000 antique toys from all over Europe. Zurich is also one of the world's most queer-friendly cities, with a substantial number of bars, clubs, and cultural events-such as the Pink Apple, a gay and lesbian film festival that takes place every May-that cater to homosexual travelers.

As Switzerland's commercial center, Zurich is not the cheapest of places to visit. However there are fairly inexpensive lodging options available, like Hotel Seehof (11 Seehofstrasse, 8008 Zurich, http://www.hotelseehof.cf), which offers doubles from $215 a night. The hotel is small and stylish-containing just 20 rooms, each showcasing the clean, crisp quality of Swiss design-with its own bar (featuring an impressive wine selection) and a restaurant that serves up delicious Japanese food (courtesy of chef Keisuke Takatori). The simple, elegant rooms are the perfect place to rest your head after a busy day of sightseeing and include such modern conveniences as wireless internet access.

A smart and thrifty way to experience the multitude of activities that the city offers is by purchasing a Zurich Card (e-mail contact@zw.ch for ordering information). These extremely affordable one and three-day passes enable tourists to visit 40 museums, utilize Zurich's public transportation, and receive discounts at many local boutiques and eateries. The one-day pass costs about $12 for adults and $8 for children, with the three-day pass coming in at double that rate.

The city is home to over 50 museums, which range in focus from art to technology. One of it's most unique is the Circus Museum (Fischmarktplatz 1, 8640 Rapperswil SG). Circus arts have a long, proud history in Switzerland, with Knie-the Swiss National Circus-setting up shop in 1919. Zurich also provides its visitors with a huge number of restaurants offering cuisine from virtually every country in the world, including Brazil, Korea, and Lebanon. 

For a taste of authentic Swiss food, head to Adler's Swiss Chuchi (Rosengasse 10, 8001 Zurich) for some of the city's best regional cuisine. And of course, no trip to Zurich would be complete without a pilgrimage to the city's most exclusive shopping district: Bahnhofstrasse (Bahnhofstrasse, 8001 Zurich). You may publish this article on your website or ezine providing you leave the article "as is" and retain the resource box with live link back to the Search Switzerland Hotels website.