Holiday & Travel

Two of the Caribbean’s leading bodies focused on developing and promoting the region’s tourism interests are articulating their vision for the year ahead.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) intends to build on the region’s strong industry performance of 2022, which included some destinations surpassing their record-breaking benchmark performances of 2019. Through its Operations Committee and other activities, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) remains committed to strengthening relationships between destinations, ports and FCCA members, as well as further developing and enhancing the guest experience in destinations while expanding opportunities for stakeholders and citizens.

Under the leadership of Kenneth Bryan, Chairman of the CTO Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism and Minister of Tourism and Transport for the Cayman Islands, and Daniel Farkas, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Norwegian Cruise Line, who will serve as Chair of FCCA’s Operations Committee, respectively, the outlook for Caribbean tourism is firmly fixed on growth and sustainability.

CTO Focal Points

·         Create mechanisms to ensure that the Caribbean remains among the five fastest growing tourism regions in the world, including expansion of marketing efforts to non-traditional markets outside of the U.S., U.K. and Europe

·         Ensuring sustainable funding, including foreign direct investment, to ensure market growth and development of the sector’s key assets

·         Research, product development, including human resource development, and marketing to ensure the CTO’s continued leadership in the development of regional tourism

·         Reposition the CTO to effectively lead the region in developing tourism into a more resilient and robust sector

FCCA Operations Committee Focal Points

·         Strengthen mutual understanding and success between the cruise industry, governments, ports and other stakeholders

·         Continued partnership and collaboration efforts

·         Addressing issues related to tourism development, ports, safety and security

·         Building bilateral relationships with FCCA’s partner destinations’ private and public sectors

·         Fostering increased revenue opportunities for ports and destinations

The prefecture of Shizuoka, home to the iconic Mount Fuji and located just one hour from Tokyo by bullet train, boasts an array of impressive tourism landmarks by famous Japanese architects, perfect for travellers with a keen interest in design. Below Tourism Shizuoka Japan highlights some of the best works from ryokans and restaurants to museums and lookout spots for a design-led travel itinerary.

Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has revealed that participants in the Tourism Innovation Incubator whose ideas are chosen for implementation, will have access to $100 million to transform those ideas into profitable projects. The Tourism Innovation Incubator is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, established through the Tourism Enhancement Fund to incentivize ideas that can enhance Jamaica’s tourism industry on the premise that the future will be driven by ideas which in turn drive innovation and invention.

Tourists from all across the world are visiting Volcano National Park on the Big Island of Hawaii. The visitors centre issued an alert.

An orange alert was issued this afternoon on the Island of Hawaii warning there was a chance for the Kilauea volcano to erupt:

For St. Kitts, 2022 was a year of meaningful accomplishments: the destination won a number of accolades including Caribbean Journal's Destination of the Year; generated strong media buzz; and increased visibility, ultimately driving arrival numbers nearly to pre-pandemic levels. The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is confident that 2023 will bring ongoing growth in arrivals, as strategic programming, product development and positioning aligned with the new Venture Deeper brand campaign will continue to differentiate St. Kitts and drive continued success.

Doing good does not always mean doing right. Impact tourism is not about impulse giving or collecting loose change for charities.  It is about generating, in an organized and strategic manner, tourism company and visitor support for local community projects through partnerships.

Impact hospitality is more than a trend – it’s a mantra for many in hospitality and tourism. It is about integrating impact tourism into the core experience of responsible travel to ensure healthy communities are the basis for a healthy tourism sector.

October 2022 was the nineteenth consecutive month that total non-US resident international arrivals to US increased on a year-over-year basis

Data recently released by US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) show that in October 2022 non-US resident international visitor arrival volume to the United States totalled 5,136,449, demonstrating a 144.9% increase compared to October 2021.

St. Kitts can take advantage of the first-of-its-kind island experience titled “Rummelier Certification Program”

St. Kitts Tourism Authority today announced the launch of a new distinctively unique rum program for the visitors.

A once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences with Manchester United cannot be bought with money, but Marriott Bonvoy points.

Marriott Bonvoy hotel guest members with a lot of points in their Marriott Bonvoy account can now bid on money-can’t-buy moments with the world-renowned UK football team Manchester United. They can bid points, but money is not accepted.

As a national symbol, Nimba encapsulates an entire gamut of good things and represents Guinea’s ubiquitous position in West Africa. In a grand ceremony in Palais du Peuple in Conakry, in the presence of the President of the Transition Col. Mamadi Doumbouyahe, the Republic of Guinea unveiled a new national branding today.

Morocco tourism had sustained a significant shock in the wake of the COVID-19 economic crisis. But the country’s rising popularity in the FIFA World Cup 2022 turned the tables and now the tourism sector is reaping its benefits.

Hailed as the tournament “underdog”, Morocco’s World Cup performance in Qatar served as a massive marketing campaign for the country’s tourism sector and attracted the attention of fans all over the world.

Barbados’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport Ian Gooding-Edghill delivered a clear message while sharing remarks at the island’s Junior Minister of Tourism and the inaugural Genealogy Competition awards ceremony last week: the nation’s youth must be educated about the importance of tourism so they can participate in the sector’s future success and sustainability.

The new NTA CEO noted that he plans to continue to seek support from all sectors in an effort to make the destination a leading one Mr. Devon Liburd was confirmed to the position of Chief Executive Officer at the Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA).

The appointment in his new role took effect from July, 2022. The announcement was made by Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, at his monthly press conference in the Cabinet Room of the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) on June 30, 2022.

Sky-high booze prices often prompt Dubai residents to travel to neighbouring emirates, where alcoholic beverages cost less

Any resident of Dubai, who wants to consume, transport or stock alcohol is legally required to possess a liquor license. The liquor licenses may only be issued to persons aged 21 or older, and cost 270 dirham ($73) a year, each.

Jamaica has welcomed over 40,000 visitors to the Caribbean island nation since Thursday, December 15, 2022.

Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has revealed that the 2022/23 Winter Tourist Season is off to an amazing start as Jamaica has recorded over 40,000 visitors since the season kicked off on December 15, with over 11,000 stopover visitors flying into the tourism Mecca of Montego Bay on Saturday, December 17.

A Carnival activity meant to have fun together was the result when a switch started the countdown for travel, tourism, and the ball to drop. In flipping the switch, the New Year’s Eve Ball at Times Square in Manhattan started the countdown for a travel, tourism, and a new year of cruising the world in 2023.