The ever-sensational Eurovision song contest is taking place in Basel this year, with performers primed to dazzle audiences at the St. Jakobshalle arena next week.

The Swiss city will host the 69th edition of the competition, taking place between 13 and 17 May, where 37 countries will battle it out to be the best act.

Fans of the high-octane contest are now flocking to Basel and, if you are thinking of joining the musical extravaganza, accommodation is still available.

But be warned, prices are as eye-watering as many of the performances.

Basel braces for tens of thousands of Eurovision enthusiasts

Basel is anticipating that as many as 50,000 fans will descend on the city in the coming days as Eurovision excitement reaches fever pitch.

According to the song contest organisers, visitors from 80 countries around the globe will be in the audience for the live event.

Swiss fans have bought the most tickets as the competition returns to their country for the first time since 1989.

Germany has purchased the second-highest number of tickets, with fans from the UK, France and Spain rounding out the top five.

Basel accommodation prices soar for Eurovision

Accommodation prices in Basel are reportedly sky-high for the week during which the competition will unfold.

Sports news site Wettfreunde.net has analysed over 1,000 accommodation listings in the city on Booking and Airbnb.

The company compared the average prices of six-night stays for two people from 12 to 18 May (from a day before to a day after the contest) to the period in the weeks before and after Eurovision (5-11 May and 19-25 May)

For the week of the competition, accommodation on Booking costs on average €6,024, which is 139 per cent more than the week before Eurovision and 137 per cent more than the week after.

On Airbnb, a six-night stay between 12 and 18 May will set you back an average of €1,804, 130 per cent more than the week before the contest and 164 per cent more than the week after.

The most expensive option on Booking during Eurovision is a studio eight kilometres from St. Jakobshalle for a staggering €21,906.

Even so, that pales in comparison with the most expensive option on Airbnb: a loft 2.5 kilometres from the arena for €67,369 for the six days.

If that’s out of your budget, the cheapest option on Booking is a double room in a capsule hotel two kilometres from St. Jakobshalle for €1,178, while Airbnb’s cheapest offer is an apartment 30 kilometres from the arena for €252.

The EU Commission has proposed a comprehensive overhaul of the EU’s road safety and vehicle registration rules as part of its commitment to safe and sustainable mobility.

One measure put forward is to simplify the process of taking your car with you when moving across borders to live in a different country.

At the moment, the paperwork is lengthy and complicated due to the absence of EU-wide laws on vehicle registration.

The proposals are still to be endorsed by the European Parliament and Council.

EU to bring in digital car registration certificates

The Commission wants to digitise key car-ownership documents to facilitate the process of taking vehicles across borders.

At the moment, residents of the EU register their cars in the country where they live. Rules vary between member states as there is no blanket EU law on vehicle registration.

That means if you choose to relocate to another EU country long term – as opposed to travelling there on holiday – you are required to re-register your vehicle.

As most documents are still paper-based, it can be a drawn-out process.

The Commission’s new proposal aims to simplify the procedure by issuing digital registration certificates and roadworthiness certificates, and linking national registers.

Member states will also have access to data like odometer readings, the total distance a vehicle has travelled since manufacture and a key figure to avoid mileage fraud when reselling.

“Today’s initiative marks a major step forward in making our roads safer, our air cleaner and making citizen’s life easier,” Apostolos Tzitzikostas, commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, said.

“By modernising our roadworthiness rules we are harnessing the latest technology, strengthening enforcement, and ensuring they keep pace with the evolving realities of mobility.”

Car owners can obtain roadworthiness certificates in different EU countries

Car owners living in EU countries are required to maintain their vehicles in ‘roadworthy’ condition and obtain certificates as proof.

These are already recognised throughout the bloc for circulation and re-registration purposes.

The Commission has recently introduced a new policy allowing drivers to undergo roadworthiness testing and receive certificates in EU member states outside their vehicle’s registration country.

These certificates will remain valid for six months, providing greater flexibility for those temporarily staying in another EU country.

This new option comes with the condition that the following roadworthiness test must occur in the vehicle‘s country of registration.

Individual member states can also choose to recognise tests performed in other EU countries for longer periods if they wish.

The Commission decided against implementing full EU-wide recognition of these certificates, citing the need for more standardised regulations and concerns about price differences between EU countries.

Vietnam has announced it will introduce a new 10-year golden visa programme.

The Southeast Asian country is looking to attract long-term residents, investors and professionals from around the world.

It hopes, in turn, that this will bolster Vietnam’s tourism sector and economy.

Here’s everything we know so far about the golden visa.

Vietnam’s new golden visa aims to attract foreign investors

Vietnam is experiencing an economic boom, making it increasingly attractive as a destination for high-net-worth foreigners.

Authorities are looking to capitalise on this with new visas that offer renewable residency to those interested in investing in the country’s tourism sector and economy.

There are three proposed categories, according to news site Financial Express.

The golden visa has a term of 5-10 years, with the possibility of extension. The investor visa has a term of 10 years, with a roadmap to become a permanent resident after 5 years. The ‘Talent Visa’, aimed at highly skilled professionals in rapid growth sectors, has a term of 5 years, with a simple renewal process.

Applications for the visa are expected to be available entirely online, with no requirement for embassy appointments.

Visa procedures for tourists and business travellers on short trips have also been streamlined, simplified and digitised.

Vietnam offers affordability and culture

Beyond investment opportunities, Vietnam is positioning itself as a vibrant and affordable place to live, with quality services.

Major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang are rich in culture and offer international schools and housing options that are attractive to foreigners seeking residency.

Vietnam’s push for tourism expansion

Vietnam hopes the golden visa will contribute to its aim to expand tourism.

More than 7.67 million foreign visitors arrived in the country during the first quarter of 2025, marking a 23.8 per cent year-on-year increase, according to figures from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

China and South Korea are Vietnam’s biggest tourism markets, followed by Taiwan, the US and Japan.

European markets are growing, thanks partly to Vietnam’s visa exemption policy. The UK recorded a 20.7 per cent increase in visitors, followed by France (24.7 per cent) and Germany (18.8 per cent).

Vietnam’s tourism authority plans to launch numerous promotional campaigns to help reach its aim of welcoming between 22 and 23 million international arrivals this year.