Visa Inc. has published a new report that shows mega-sporting events have a major positive impact on the tourism fortunes of countries that host major sporting event, at least based on the spending patterns of Visa cardholders. The report analyzes cardholder spending for three recent mega-sporting events: the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games.
 

In an interview in the Bahamas Tribune, Vincent Vanderpool-Walllace said he "absolutely agrees in principle" with complaints from Josef Forstmayr, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), saying Caribbean governments have failed to curb excessive taxes on hotel operators and implement policies that encourage intra-regional travel.

On her first big trip away from her home and parents in Brazil, 14-year-old Juliana Garcia will explore Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort, shriek through Universal’s Harry Potter ride and gasp at Shamu’s acrobatics at Sea World. But first, there’s shopping.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon has unveiled Mundo Maya 2012 (Mayan World 2012), a new program to increase tourism and promote the Mayan Culture Legacy in Mexico through 2012. This campaign supports Mexico's goal to become one of the top-five most visited countries in the world.

The increased rate of Air Passenger Duty is being blamed for a 51% slump in searches by UK travelers for flights to the Caribbean. Data collated by price comparison company Cheapflights found a drop in consumers searching for flights to Barbados, Jamaica and Mexico.

The Los Cabos Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the results of a recent report distributed by the office of the Secretary of Tourism of Mexico (CESTUR). The report awarded Los Cabos an overall satisfaction rating of 9.1 by travelers, the highest score among all beach destinations in Mexico.