Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, departed the island May 25th for Spain and the United States as part of a strategic overseas mission aimed at strengthening strategic tourism partnerships and advancing Jamaica’s leadership in the global tourism arena. The trip will see him participating in a series of high-level meetings with key tourism stakeholders in Palma de Mallorca, Spain from May 26–28.

In eight days, I had the honour of travelling across eight extraordinary countries—Namibia, Zambia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Each one taught me something vital not just about tourism, but about transformation. Every conversation, every connection, every challenge, also offered a powerful, unifying message.

Harry Theoharis, a prominent figure in Greek politics and international tourism, has carved out a distinguished career marked by his deep commitment to public service and transformative leadership. Currently serving as a Member of the Hellenic Parliament, Theoharis has held key ministerial roles, including Minister of Tourism and Deputy Minister of Finance in Greece. His ambition and vision extend beyond national borders, as he seeks to bring his expertise to global tourism challenges as a candidate for the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Destinations for All, the World Summit on Accessible Tourism now in its third edition, will take place for the first time in Italy, in Turin, from October 5-7 2025. This promises to be a major event, bringing together experts and operators from the tourism sector worldwide. The event aims to promote and share best practices in accessibility within the tourism sector to strengthen a global network of destinations accessible to everyone, including people with specific needs. The Piedmont capital was chosen to host the Summit following Turin’s designation as European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025: the title awarded by the European Commission considered, among other factors, the accessibility features and tourist hospitality available in the city.

According to UN Tourism’s data, after an initial slow recovery from the impacts of the pandemic, Asia and the Pacific has been rapidly returning to full strength. In 2024. Destinations in the region welcomed 316 million international arrivals between them, equivalent to 87% of pre-pandemic numbers, and up from 66% at the end of 2023.  South Asia saw the best results by sub-region, with a 92% recovery, and Maldives posted the highest growth in the region, welcoming 20% more tourists than in 2019, followed by Japan, with 16%, Fiji with 10% and Sri Lanka 7% more compared to 2019. The Commission’s host this year, Indonesia welcomed 13.9 million tourists in 2024, recovering 86% of 2019 levels.

A new report released today by Amadeus, in collaboration with UN Tourism, reveals continued growth in demand for travel to destinations across the Americas, despite economic and geopolitical challenges