Jamaica is targetting untapped source markets such as Russia and Brazil in order to reach its goal of attracting two million stopover visitors to the island this year. As Caribbean Marketplace 2011 drew to a successful close, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett highlighted the need to build non-traditional markets in order to take his island’s travel and tourism economy to the next level.

Virgin Holidays has unveiled plans to invest £2 million to build a Richard Branson training centre for Caribbean entrepreneurs as part of the company’s drive to strengthen the region’s travel and tourism economy. The moves come at a promsing time for the brand, which last year recorded recorded record operational profits.

Jamaica’s Half Moon epitomizes the Caribbean travel experience. Timeless elegance blends seamlessly with the wonders of mother nature to create an experience that takes guests straight to the soul of the island. As Montego Bay plays host to Caribbean Marketplace 2011, BTN spoke to Half Moon General Manager, Aram Zerunian.

Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, is the industry’s man of the moment. Having successfully navigated his nation’s travel and tourism economy through the global financial crisis, he is now playing a pivotal role in establishing Jamaica as a leading MICE destination. BTN catches up with him at Caribbean Marketplace, which is being held at the brand new Montego Bay Convention Centre.

The European online travel market is expected to grow 10% in 2011, led by solid double-digit gains in countries that have been slower to adopt online booking channels in the past, according to PhoCusWright’s European Online Travel Overview Sixth Edition.

While rare, random acts of violence are not wholly unexpected among British travellers while abroad, with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office continually warning holidaymakers to be on their guard wherever they are. Here Breaking Travel News looks at the dangers.