Category Tourism, Organisations & Operators

Visit Maldives Corporation (VMC) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 9 June 2026 at Meeruma Hall, reporting its strongest financial performance in eight years and highlighting a year marked by tourism growth, strengthened governance, and expanded international destination marketing activities.

During the meeting, shareholders reviewed and approved the Corporation’s Annual Report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2025.

New research commissioned by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) warns that prolonged border delays linked to the rollout of Europe’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) could put up to 41 million visitor arrivals and $45.4 billion in visitor spending at risk from four of Europe’s most important source markets.

The analysis, based on a survey of more than 2,500 travellers from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia, found that if travellers face regular border waits of three to four hours when entering the Schengen Area, around one-third would become much less likely to travel to Schengen or would choose not to visit at all.

New consumer sentiment research, released today from ABTA – The Travel Association, explores the impact of the conflict in the Middle East and the rising cost of living on people’s intention to travel over the next 12 months.

It shows that a strong appetite to travel abroad remains, with 64% of people planning to travel overseas during the next 12 months

Calling for a new model of tourism that creates and retains greater value within the Caribbean, Dr. Terrance Drew, prime minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and chairman of CARICOM, has endorsed the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) new Tourism Supply Side Initiative, describing it as a critical step toward ensuring that tourism benefits the region’s people and its economies.

Prime Minister Drew delivered virtual remarks Thursday during the launch of the new committee at Caribbean Week in New York, held at InterContinental New York Times Square.

New research from Aurora Expeditions reveals that expert-led experience has overtaken destination as the primary decision driver. It is a shift that reflects a broader transformation in how discerning travellers are approaching exploration.

In a survey of more than 700 expeditioners, 95.3 per cent of respondents rated the expertise of the expedition team as the most important factor when selecting an operator. Itinerary came second (94.2%), followed by small ship size (93.3%) and landing opportunities (92.9%).

Curated Spaces – the world’s first travel booking platform powered by tastemakers – expands internationally into Europe. The next phase of growth will see the platform introduce a curated portfolio of independent stays across countries such as, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Greece, including storybook châteaux, seaside hideaways, romantic rural retreats, and characterful countryside escapes, each selected with the same focus on soul, design, and community.

Curated Spaces – the world’s first travel booking platform powered by tastemakers – expands internationally into Europe. The next phase of growth will see the platform introduce a curated portfolio of independent stays across countries such as, France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Greece, including storybook châteaux, seaside hideaways, romantic rural retreats, and characterful countryside escapes, each selected with the same focus on soul, design, and community.

Cape Verde’s growing visibility on the international football stage, including recent success and qualification for the FIFA World Cup, is driving fresh interest in the Atlantic nation as a year-round holiday choice, according to UK specialist operator Cape Verde Experience.

With increased global attention on the islands the operator says more travellers are looking beyond Cape Verde’s well-known beach offering and discover its wider appeal, including volcanic landscapes, Creole culture, live music, hiking and island-hopping experiences.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has defined eight strategic priorities, now formally approved by its Executive Committee, to guide the future of the global Travel & Tourism private sector. These priorities reflect the needs and perspectives of the global private sector, reinforcing WTTC’s commitment to unlocking growth, maximizing the sector’s potential guiding investment decisions, and driving meaningful transformation across the industry.

The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) has unveiled what many industry leaders are describing as one of the most important strategic developments in Caribbean tourism policy for a generation, launching the Tourism Supply Side Initiative, a region-wide programme designed to increase economic retention, strengthen resilience and ensure tourism delivers greater value to Caribbean people, businesses and communities.

The initiative was formally introduced during Caribbean Week in New York by CTO Chairman and Barbados Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, alongside Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, who will chair the newly established Tourism Supply Side Ministerial Committee.