All U.S. Leisure Travel to Cuba Is Banned and 9 Other Tourism Trends This Week

All U.S. Leisure Travel to Cuba Is Banned by Trump Administration: Trump has been threatening to reverse Obama’s engagement with Cuba for a while, and Tuesday’s travel ban to the island certainly reinforces the view that he is the Anti-Tourism President.

Selling U.S. Tourism in Trump Era Leaves Industry Grasping for Fixes: During the past couple of years, American government policies have been smearing the welcome mat that the U.S. travel industry tries to roll out for international tourists. As one U.S. Travel official noted this week: “Travel will go where it’s easiest to go.” And these days coming to America is not easy.

Will Vietnam Overtake Thailand as Asian Playground for Russians? Europe is the top growing source for the Asia-Pacific, and it’s not because of growth from Asia’s traditional European markets such as the United Kingdom. It’s because of a huge spike in Russian arrivals. And Vietnam benefits.

Japan Wants Its Tourism Revenues to Match Increasing Visitor Numbers: Japan wants to attract more luxury travelers. That sounds rich, considering a Japan holiday is for most people a luxury trip. But having more arrivals without a corresponding increase in tourism dollars is indeed vexing — just ask Singapore — and Japan is right in trying to redress it.

European Car Rentals May Be More Affordable in 2020 Due to Economic Slowdown: Car rental companies are desperate to raise rates, but the reality is that reduced demand due to ridesharing and an expected slowdown will keep prices from rising significantly in 2020. This is good news for companies and vacationers alike.

A New Generation of Luxury in the English Countryside: There are a number of socioeconomic factors driving the investment and interest in refurbished luxury English countryside escapes, but the most basic is a driving desire from all involved to reconnect with sunlight, nature, and conscious meals in a comfortable setting.

Finding Opportunity in the Chaos of Asia’s Travel Market: Nowhere is this complexity and turmoil more pronounced than in Asia, where market growth, travel technology, and consumer behavior all converge to make the region a fertile ground for disruption and innovation.

College Tour Planning Is a Growing Niche for Travel Advisors: The business of planning custom college tours has the potential to grow as tuition continues to balloon at schools across the U.S. The relative cost of having an expert plan an intensive college visit may be worth it for students and families preparing to make a major investment.

Forecasting Travel Departures Over the Next Decade: New Skift Research. As many as four out of the next five new outbound travelers in the next decade could come from the emerging world. Are you prepared for the center of gravity in travel to shift?

College Tour Planning a Likely Course for Travel Advisors: With college such a substantial investment for many families, touring prospective campuses is a growing priority. This is creating opportunities for travel advisors to step in and handle the logistics.