Philippines’ Boracay Island Tackles Overtourism and 8 Other Tourism Trends This Week

Philippines’ Boracay Island Tackles Overtourism With Bans on Cruise Ships in Peak Seasons: Philippines’ Boracay shows a good example of how to regulate potential overcrowding by cruise ships. The idea to offer alternative ports of call is smart, as it promotes new destinations and spreads tourism benefits to other places.

Alaska Is Bracing for This Year’s Supersize Cruise Season: Cruise operators go where they see demand, and Alaska has been a hot market for a while now. Will the introduction of more and bigger ships change that dynamic?

Travel Advisor Risk and Responsibility in Sri Lanka: Leisure travel advisors may not have the same obligations as their corporate travel counterparts when it comes to keeping travelers safe, but this week’s terror attack raises questions about risk and responsibility.

Theme Park Operator Parques Reunidos Gets $703 Million Takeover Approach: With two of the company’s minority shareholders on board, this bid looks like it’s got a good chance of succeeding. But will any of Parques Reunidos’ rivals fancy getting involved with their own bids?

Asia’s Persistent Pollution Problems Weigh on Tourism Opportunities: If China can make good progress to reduce pollution levels, why can’t other Asian countries do it? Makes us sick — pun intended — just thinking about it.

Culture Is Central in Puerto Rico’s New Marketing Campaign: A good website is critical for branding in this day and age, and the tourism organization made a smart move by investing heavily in design and functionality.

Cincinnati Courts Luxury Travelers Through Pro Tennis: Most major sporting events take place in cities that already attract large numbers of high-end tourists. But for one small Midwestern city, hosting a professional tennis tournament is a way to attract luxury travelers who might otherwise not consider a visit.

Travel Advisor Recruits Participate in Host Agency Boot Camps: Host agencies are seeing an influx of prospective travel advisors, many coming from other careers, and are creating education programs to ensure the newcomers are up to par. There are a wide range of options out there, so potential agents should do their research before choosing a host.

Ensemble Travel’s First CEO Brings Agency-Owner Perspective: Ensemble Travel Group hired its first CEO, a veteran travel advisor and agency owner. The move signals a realization that first-hand understanding of the daily challenges faced by travel advisors can only help a consortium better serve its members.