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THE U.S, CHINA and India drove 60 percent of the growth in tourism emissions from 2009 to 2019, according to Nature Communications. By 2019, they accounted for 39 percent of global tourism emissions. The research, based on data from 175 governments between 2009 and 2020, found that 20 countries drive nearly all global tourism emissions, with efforts to curb the trend proving ineffective. The emissions are generated by airplanes and vehicles used for travel to tourist destinations along with power consumption by travelers. Around 20 countries generate 75 percent of global tourism emissions, while 155 countries share the remaining 25 percent, the study found. There is now a hundredfold gap in per-capita tourism footprints between the most and least traveled nations.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S new National Travel and Tourism Strategy sets a 5-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors to the U.S. each year. Two major associations in the U.S. hospitality industry applauded the strategy as a step forward in restoring the travel industry. The new tourism strategy aims to support broad-based economic growth in the travel and tourism industry across the U.S. AAHOA thanked the U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and the Tourism Policy Council for their continued leadership and support. "[An expected] 90 million international visitors will drive strong economic growth," said Laura Lee Blake, president and CEO, AAHOA. "The $279 billion in annual estimated spending by these visitors will help not only the hotel and hospitality industry, but also the entire American economy. We commend Secretary Raimondo's new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, and welcome her efforts to aggressively rebuild U.S. travel and tourism."

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM REACHED 98 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2019, with approximately 1.1 billion tourists traveling internationally in the first nine months of 2024, according to the United Nations tourism agency. The Americas recovered 97 percent of pre-pandemic arrivals, down 3 percent from 2019. In its "World Tourism Barometer" report, the Madrid-based UN Tourism forecast a "full recovery" by year-end despite economic, geopolitical and climate challenges. International tourist arrivals grew due to strong post-pandemic demand in Europe, solid performance from major source markets and the ongoing recovery of destinations in Asia Pacific, the agency said. Tourist arrivals in the Middle East, Europe and Africa exceeded 2019 levels, with increases of 29 percent, 1 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

THE U.S. TRAVEL Association and Tourism Diversity Matters formed a new strategic partnership to focus on issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), a statement from USTA said. The partnership will provide USTA more access to Tourism Diversity Matters' subject matter expertise, research and resources. Founded in 2021, Tourism Diversity Matters addresses blind spots in ethnic disparities within the tourism and events industries. It will provide these industry leaders with resources and tactics to develop more effective DEI strategies to engage, recruit and retain a diverse workforce. DEI is a core priority of USTA, the association said in a statement, and is committed to having a vital role in affecting lasting change and supporting the development of industry-wide DEI plans. The partnership will advance workforce development issues and federal policy initiatives that support travel's recovery, the statement added. "USTA has a clear vision: in working closely with Tourism Diversity Matters, we aim to help the travel sector achieve a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive industry for all," said Roger Dow, USTA's president and CEO and a board member of Tourism Diversity Matters. "Aligning with Tourism Diversity Matters is a great step toward this pursuit that will enrich USTA's membership for years to come."

INDIGENOUS TOURISM IS expected to generate $67 billion globally by 2034, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Business travel is set to exceed pre-pandemic levels this year, reaching $1.5 trillion. Additionally, WTTC introduced "Together in Travel," an initiative supporting small and medium enterprises in the tourism sector, during its 24th Global Summit in Perth, Australia, where industry leaders, government officials, and delegates convened to discuss several themes. The council released its report, "Supporting Global Indigenous Tourism," highlighting the sector's role in driving economic growth, particularly in remote regions, while preserving cultural heritage and empowering communities. The indigenous tourism market, set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 4.1 percent over the next decade, is providing communities with opportunities to take control of their economic futures, the WTTC noted.

THE U.S. REMAINS the world's top travel and tourism market, contributing a record $2.36 trillion to the economy last year, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Despite a slow recovery in international spending, the U.S. holds nearly double the economic contribution of its closest competitor. The council's 2024 Economic Impact Trends Report found that travel and tourism remain vital to many economies, supporting millions of jobs worldwide. "As we look forward to a record-breaking 2024, it's clear that travel and tourism are not only back on track but also set to achieve unprecedented growth," said Julia Simpson, WTTC's president and CEO. "We will continue to prioritize sustainability and inclusivity, ensuring that this growth benefits everyone and protects our planet for future generations. The sector's resilience and potential for innovation continue to drive us forward."

U.S. TOURISM SPENDING is presently lagging behind 2023 and 2024 levels, which were boosted by strong post-pandemic travel demand, according to Bank of America credit and debit card data. The bank's data showed a decline in lodging, tourism and airline spending. Bank of America's report, "Yellow light for travel: US domestic tourism taps the brakes," found that through March 22, lodging and tourism-related services were down about 2.5 percent from last year, while airline spending dropped roughly 6 percent. Poor weather, a late Easter and weak consumer confidence may be contributing to the slowdown, the report said. However, Bank of America analysts remain cautiously optimistic, noting that softer travel spending may signal a "yellow light" rather than a "red," as households grow more hesitant to plan major trips in the near term.

The Indian state of Uttar Pradesh eyes investments of more than $3.9 billion (Rs 32,000 crore) in the hospitality and tourism sector, according to a report published in Business Standard. The investment could create an additional 80,000 accommodation units through hotels and resorts, addressing the room availability deficit. Religious tourism surged post the consecration of the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya on Jan. 22. Uttar Pradesh anticipates an annual tourist footfall of 850 million by 2028, emphasizing the expansion of hospitality units in tourism hubs like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, and Agra, Business Standard daily reported. "To cater to this increasing demand, the state is looking to create a robust supply of accommodation units with the development of hotels, resorts, and homestays," a government official was quoted as saying in the report.

MORE THAN A thousand hotel owners, workers and small business owners from the newly formed "Protect NYC Tourism Coalition" rallied on the steps of New York's City Hall on Sept. 12 to protest the city council's "Safe Hotels" bill. The coalition also sent a letter urging the council to reject the bill, also known as "Int. 991", arguing that the bill threatens the sustainability of New York City's hotel and tourism industries and jeopardizes the livelihoods of thousands of workers. The coalition includes members from AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of New York City, the Real Estate Board of New York, the Coalition for Hotel Subcontractors, the NYC Minority Hotel Association, the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers, along with other groups and stakeholders supporting New York City's tourism industry. First introduced by Councilwoman Julie Menin over the summer, Int. 991 is presented by supporters as a "simple licensing bill." Opponents argue it would impose operational mandates that could drive many hotels out of business, jeopardizing 42,000 hotel jobs and nearly 260,000 jobs supported by the industry, along with billions in revenue for New York City.

Nakul Anand, former executive director of ITC Hotels, is named as the patron-in-chief of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality. Anand served as the federation's chairman from its inception until recently. He represented the Hotel Association of India within FAITH, the umbrella body comprising 10 trade associations in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors of the industry, FAITH said in a statement. Rajiv Mehra, general secretary of FAITH, said that the decision has been taken considering Anand's "exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication to the tourism & hospitality industry" as former chairman of FAITH and former executive director of ITC Ltd. Under his leadership, FAITH drafted and presented a vision document for Indian tourism for 2035 and 2047, the statement added. Additionally, the International Travel Mart of India was launched. The federation also made interventions to address anomalies in GST, the ECLGS scheme of the government and more.

PUNEET CHHATWAL, MANAGING director and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited, the owner of Taj Hotels, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality. He succeeds ITC executive director Nakul Anand, who retired this week, FAITH said in a statement. Several national tourism and hotel associations, including the National Associations of Tour Operators, travel agents, hotels, transport operators, conventions & exhibition operators, and restaurants and tourism attractions, are members of FAITH. "With the backing of all members, my commitment is to develop this into a focused policy advocacy organization addressing issues in the tourism and hospitality industry, continuing the legacy established by Anand," said Chhatwal.

UTTAR PRADESH RECEIVED hospitality investment proposals worth approximately $12.2 billion, or Rs 1 trillion, in the last two years after introducing its 2022 tourism policy. The Indian state, which hosted the Global Investors Summit in February 2023, sees tourism as key to reaching its $1 trillion economy goal by 2029. The state aims to expand tourism infrastructure and hospitality properties through private sector partnerships, Business Standard reported, citing government officials. "The proposed investments include hotels, resorts, guesthouses, wellness centers, and homestays across all 75 districts," said Mukesh Kumar Meshram, principal secretary of tourism and culture in UP, according to the report.

THE G20 NEW Delhi Leaders' Declaration underscores tourism's role in promoting sustainable social and economic development, the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations said in a statement. The G20 economies' meeting on Sept. 9 to 10 acknowledged the potential for constructing a future through development models that implement sustainable, inclusive, and equitable transitions globally, ensuring no one is left behind. The high-level discussions concluded with the launch of the Leaders' Declaration, a set of agreed-upon aims for advancing development and prosperity, the statement added. The statement recognizes tourism for its "pivotal" role in driving the achievement of the sustainable development goals and the wider 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

THE RECENTLY PASSED federal $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill contains important gains for the travel and hospitality industries, according to several advocacy groups. That includes the Omnibus Travel and Tourism Act and the creation of a position in the Department of Commerce to coordinate travel and tourism industry strategy. AAHOA, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and the U.S. Travel Association all welcomed the passage of the spending bill that was signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 23. All cited the OTTA legislation created by U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen, Democrat of Nevada, and Republic Roger Wicker of Mississippi through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. What is the OTTA? The elements of the OTTA include the Visit America Act, which authorizes the creation of the new position in the DOC. The new assistant secretary would coordinate a strategy across multiple federal agencies to increase travel and tourism nationwide through annual goals and recommendations. "This means the industry will finally have a seat at the policy table after decades of advocating for this to occur," said Laura Lee Blake, AAHOA president and CEO, in LinkedIn.com post.

TRADE TENSIONES BETWEEN the U.S. and Canada are beginning to impact the U.S. travel and tourism industry as Canadians cut back on trips. The number of Canadians driving to the U.S. fell 23 percent in February from a year earlier, marking the second straight monthly decline and only the second since March 2021, according to Statistics Canada. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing 25 percent tariffs on nearly all Canadian and Mexican goods on Feb. 1, which took effect on March 4. He also repeatedly called for making Canada the 51st state. The decline in Canadian tourists followed former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's call to reconsider U.S. travel and support domestic tourism. Trudeau, who was succeeded by Mark Carney on March 14, made the remarks in response to Trump's tariffs.

SALEM, OREGON, RECENTLY changed its plan to use transient lodging tax funds for library funding gaps. AAHOA and the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association have been closely monitoring the municipality's attempts to divert the protected revenue from its intended purpose, promoting tourism. Instead, the city will use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Hotel taxes diverted from tourism could diminish funding for year-round visitor attraction efforts, AAHOA said in a statement. "AAHOA and ORLA were proactive in ensuring appropriate use of the transient lodging tax in the city of Salem," said Taran Patel, AAHOA's Northwest regional director. "This is a great example of the importance of AAHOA members being active in advocacy at the local levels of government."

MALDIVES, INDIA'S NEIGHBOR with a tourism-dependent economy, faced a social media backlash at the start of the New Year after Maldivian government officials made disparaging comments about India in social media, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent Lakshadweep trip. In response, several celebrities and social media users launched the #BoycottMaldives, #ChaloLakshadweep campaigns, which are trending among Indians. Meanwhile, the Maldivian government suspended three deputy ministers in the Ministry of Youth Affairs-Maryam Shiuna, Malsha Shareef, and Mahzoom Majid-for making the remarks about India and Modi. "For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list. During my stay, I also tried snorkelling - what an exhilarating experience it was!" Modi posted on X, accompanying the post with pictures.

A TOTAL OF 347 mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture financing deals were reported in the global travel and tourism sector during the first half of 2024, according to GlobalData, a data and analytics company. That is a 12.6 percent year-over-year decline from the 397 deals in the same period of the previous year. North America saw a 31.7 percent year-over-year decrease in deal volume, while the U.S. experienced a 31.5 percent decline in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period the previous year, GlobalData said in a statement. "Even though there was a decline globally due to a dent in deal-making sentiments, the trend was a mixed bag across different markets and regions, with some countries contributing to the decline while some experienced improved activity," said Aurojyoti Bose, GlobalData's lead analyst. "And the same was the case for the deal types under coverage."

NEW YORK CITY Mayor Eric Adams signed the Safe Hotels Act on Nov. 4, requiring hotels across the five boroughs to obtain operating licenses. The act, sponsored by City Council Member Julie Menin, faced opposition from industry groups like AAHOA and the American Hotel and Lodging Association and was revised twice before passing. The new law, also called Intro. 0991, establishes stricter standards on safety, staffing, cleaning and licensing to enforce protections for workers and guests, according to the mayor's office. "Our top priority from day one has been to keep people safe, and that includes protecting workers and tourists at our city's hotels," Adams said. "That's why we are expanding protections for the working-class New Yorkers who run our hotels and the guests who use them. The Safe Hotels Act ensures our hotels are safe, healthy, and clean, enabling our tourism industry to thrive and create jobs. This is a win for working people, the tourism and hotel industry, and all New Yorkers."

The Restoring Brand USA Act took another step toward passage, clearing the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bill would renew the program aimed at promoting international travel to the U.S. Brand USA has generated $56 billion to the U.S. economy since 2013 and supported more than 45,000 jobs each year, according to Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida, a sponsor of the bill. The program is funded by international visitors and private contributions, and the decline in international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a loss of that funding, Bilirakis said. The bill would direct the Treasury Department to allow this program to access critical resources, funded by foreign traveler visa fees, for the next few years. "The travel and tourism industry was one of the hardest hit sectors during the pandemic. As we seek to restore our way of life and fully recover, we cannot overlook the work that must be done to renew this powerful engine of economic growth for communities across the nation," Bilirakis said. "Brand USA has proven itself as a successful catalyst for spurring tourism to the U.S. We need that catalyst now more than ever to help rebuild the industry and spur job growth. Common sense solutions like this will help boost the economy and help get us moving in the right direction."