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INDIA IS SET to have the most Trump Towers outside the U.S., with 10 projects planned for completion in the next six years, according to a recent media report. Tribeca Developers, the exclusive licensee of Trump-branded properties in India, plans additional launches, including residential, office and golf course properties, expected to generate approximately $1.75 billion in sales. Tribeca Developers, founded in 2012 by Kalpesh Mehta, is advised exclusively by Donald Trump Jr., executive vice president of The Trump Organization. The number of Trump Towers in India will grow from four all-residential high-rises in Mumbai, Pune, Gurgaon and Kolkata to 10 in six years, with new projects planned for Noida, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Pune. Mehta expects further growth following Trump's election victory, the Times of India reported.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi set a target to double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030 during their recent White House meeting. Modi was the fourth world leader to visit Trump after his second term began on Jan. 20. The countries agreed to cooperate on defense, trade, investment, energy security, technology, multilateral ties and people-to-people exchange, according to a U.S.-India joint statement. The Indian delegation to the U.S. included External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Ambassador to the U.S. Vinay Mohan Kwatra. Trump, a critic of India's high tariffs, and Modi agreed Thursday to pursue a "framework" for greater cooperation.

Ted Cruz vs. Donald Trump: Ted Cruz has reiterated in his 'Stop Trump' campaign that defeating Donald Trump was essential for "the very soul of America.

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP joined billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk in supporting the H-1B visa program despite opposition from some of Trump's base. Meanwhile, hotel associations, including AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association are pushing to replace the 66,000 annual cap on H-2B visas with a needs-based system. Trump, who restricted H-1B visas during his first term, told The New York Post that he now supports the program. "I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It's a great program," he said. Despite his statement, Trump has rarely utilized the H-1B program, which allows skilled workers, such as engineers, to work in the U.S. for up to six years. Instead, his companies have frequently relied on the H-2B visa program for unskilled workers, such as gardeners and housekeepers, and the H-2A program for agricultural workers. These visas allow stays of up to 10 months.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP nominated former Oregon Republican congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor, with former EEOC commissioner Keith Sonderling chosen as deputy secretary. The American Hotel & Lodging Association has called on the Senate to swiftly confirm both nominees. "Keith will work with our nominee for Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, to put our country and workers first," Trump announced on Truth Social. Trump highlighted Sonderling's labor and employment experience, noting his roles as EEOC vice-chairman and acting administrator of the DOL's Wage and Hour Division during Trump's first term. If confirmed, Sonderling would oversee the DOL's 15,000 employees and daily operations. Sonderling thanked Trump for the nomination on LinkedIn.

DONALD TRUMP WILL return to the U.S. presidency for a second, non-consecutive term in January, making him the first to do so since Grover Cleveland. Hotel associations such as AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association were quick to offer congratulations. In September, both groups were in Washington, D.C., to advocate for legislation important to the industry. Some of the proposed legislation that AHLA is supporting include: The Closing the Workforce Gap Act would replace the arbitrary annual cap of 66,000 available H-2B temporary visas with a new, needs-based system. Extending a pass-through tax deduction, 199A, which is set to expire in 2025 and provides tax relief to franchisees and other hotel small businesses. Maintaining the like-kind exchange, section 1031, which allows hoteliers to defer capital gains taxes when they sell one property if they roll the proceeds into the purchase of a larger one. According to AHLA, the exchange helps create new jobs and contributes to economic growth. The Hotel Fees Transparency Act and the No Hidden FEES Act would establish a single and transparent standard for mandatory lodging fee display and an even competitive playing field for hotels, short term rentals, online travel agencies, and metasearch sites.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP laid out his plan for the nation in his first address to Congress on Tuesday since beginning his second term on Jan. 20. AAHOA was the first industry group to commend his commitment to the American Dream, even as markets reacted negatively to his rapid moves on the economy, immigration and foreign policy amid federal restructuring, strained alliances and trade uncertainty. Trump's statement, "The American Dream is unstoppable," resonates deeply with AAHOA members-entrepreneurs, small business owners, and job creators in hospitality, the association said in a statement. U.S. extended-stay hotels finished 2024 strong after a slow start, with supply, demand and room revenue growth outpacing the industry, while ADR and RevPAR remained positive but gained momentum later in the year, according to "President Trump's proposals are the tax reforms our industry needs," said Miraj Patel, AAHOA chairman. "That's why AAHOA will be in Washington, D.C., on March 11 to 12 to advocate for these critical measures. We look forward to engaging with lawmakers to ensure America's hotel owners are heard. Tax relief and pro-business policies are essential to keeping the hotel industry strong."

KASHYAP "KASH" PATEL, President Trump's nominee for FBI director, highlighted his Indian roots at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, greeting his parents with "Jai Shree Krishna". If confirmed, he would be the first Indian American to lead the nation's top investigative agency. AAHOA backed Patel's nomination, citing his public service and national security experience as crucial for addressing challenges facing both the FBI and the hospitality industry. "Kash Patel's nomination is a significant moment," said Miraj Patel, AAHOA chairman. "His counterterrorism and public service background offers valuable expertise for tackling complex security issues." Patel, 44, was a public defender and federal prosecutor before joining Trump's administration during his first term as president in 2019. He served in various roles, including under the secretary of defence and the director of national intelligence. Trump nominated him in November to replace Christopher Wray, who led the FBI for more than seven years and who Trump appointed in his first term.

This past weekend, Trump gave a speech in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood that laid out the latest Cuba travel policy for US citizens. Will it make travel to island more difficult for US citizens? Will it impact Cuba's small businesses and tighten the commercial ties between the US and Cuba? PassportInfo is here to tell you what the new Cuba travel policy will mean for you.

THE U.S. DISTRICT Court for the Eastern District of Texas on Nov. 15 struck down the Department of Labor's rule raising salary thresholds for overtime exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The ruling vacates increases from $35,568 to $43,888 on July 1, with a planned rise to $58,656 by Jan. 1, 2025. Hotel associations, including AAHOA and the American Hotel & Lodging Association, welcomed the decision. U.S. District Judge Sean Jordan in Sherman, Texas, ruled that the 2024 rule "effectively eliminates" the evaluation of an employee's duties in favor of a "salary-only test" and that automatic threshold updates every three years violate federal rulemaking requirements. Jordan, appointed by President Donald Trump, emphasized the rule's overreach.

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.

The US and UK have both released a new travel ban on some electronics. Starting on Tuesday, March 21, if you are flying directly to the US from one of ten designated airports in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, or the UAE, you will not be able to board the plane carrying any electronic device larger than a smartphone. The official reasoning behind the electronics travel ban is a growing concern that terrorists could hide bombs inside devices like laptops. How long will the electronics travel ban last? Checkout the whole story here!

The laptop ban has been the top travel news that shocked everyone and is still dominating all the other travel news. There are more travel and passport news for you to stay updated and prepared for your next travel. Check out the status of the Miami Passport Agency, which flooded last month. And, if you are traveling to Europe, you'll want to check out the latest news about entry procedures for Italy and France!