Caribbean tourism officials are pushing for a partnership with the U.S. government because of concerns that relations between the U.S. and Cuba will result in less visitors for other destinations.

Count Saint Lucia among Caribbean destinations posting higher 2015 visitor arrivals. Saint Lucia hosted 159,177 overnight visitor arrivals between January and May according to Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) data released this week.

The United States Virgin Islands is reporting strong growth so far in 2015, according to new numbers from the Caribbean Tourism Organization. The US territory received 303,762 stayover visitors in the first four months of 2015; that represented a 6.5 percent improvement over the same period in 2014.

Apple Vacations is seeking to open up Cuba to the masses. The tour company will begin offering tour packages to Cuba starting this fall, with the first departures leaving in September and October. The packages are classified under "educational activities" or "people-to-people" tours.

The lure of beaches, luxury resorts, and golf courses may bring Chinese visitors to its longtime socialist ally, Cuba. In September, a Chinese airline will begin offering direct flights between China and Cuba, a precursor to what officials hope will be a “sea of Chinese tourists” coming in.

Almost 80 percent of Swiss hotel owners expect a negative future trend, especially in hotel vacations. The biggest opportunity for growth is estimated in health tourism.