It was recently announced that United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) will co-sponsor the third annual Tourism Outlook Seminar to be held in Jamaica next year.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced five new properties in China, boosting its China portfolio to 52 properties. The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort is scheduled to open on Hainan Island in 2011; the St. Regis Chengdu in 2014; the Sheraton Jiangyin in 2011; the Sheraton Dalian Kinghai and the Sheraton Bailuhu, both in 2012.
Thailand’s tourism has had a tough year from political upheaval, airport shutdowns and the worldwide economic downturn. Instead of crying in its beer, Thailand has decided to create a national cocktail. In a world of Cuba Libres, Red Stripe beer, Singapore Slings and Tequila Sunrises, why can’t there be room for a Thai national libation?
While the economy is slowing, hitting industries from mining to retail and construction, tourist arrivals in Chile have risen this summer as Argentina visitors skip long-distance air fares and cash in on the neighboring nation’s weak peso.
The Jamaica Tourist Board announced that 2008 was another year of growth for its tourism industry. The island’s stopover arrivals increased by 3.9 percent, with a total of 1,769,271 visitors.
Under a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, travel restrictions may be eased for Cuban Americans wishing to visit Cuba.