North America & Caribbean

Trump’s War on Foreign Visas Leads to Less Student Travel to U.S.

Nick Leiber, Bloomberg

Fewer international college students are heading to the U.S. for their studies. This means a reduction in travel and all of the economic benefits that cities see from robust foreign visitation.

Government Shutdown Leads to Closure of Joshua Tree National Park

Associated Press

Even with park supporters and local community members volunteering their services, the government shutdown is taking a big toll on some national parks.

New Visit Florida CEO Comes Straight From Political Arena

Hannah Sampson, Skift

Visit Florida's recent history has been rocky. Will a former Republican lawmaker have success making the case to her old colleagues for increased funding?

Video: VisitDallas President and CEO on How Destinations Are Fighting Against Discriminatory Legislation

Phillip Jones, president and CEO of VisitDallas, joined Greg Oates, SkiftX’s editor-at-large, at Skift Global Forum 2018 to discuss the value in banding together with fellow organizations and stakeholders to fight discriminatory legislation.

Shutdown’s Toll on Travel Mounts With No End in Sight

Hannah Sampson, Skift

There's no telling when this shutdown will end — especially since President Donald Trump mentioned "months and even years" on Friday — so the travel industry may need to prepare for a long-term impact.

Canada Pulls Tourism Ads From China as Tension Over Huawei Heats Up

Daniela Wei, Bloomberg

Heated tension over the Huawei arrest prompts Destination Canada to stop all advertising. It will be a cold season for Canada as far as the Chinese market is concerned.

How Mass MoCA Turned a Factory Town Into an Arts Destination

Justin Fox, Bloomberg

No revered art center is an island, not even the rural ones like Interlochen. Many cultural and educational factors converged to allow something like Mass MoCA to thrive for decades in a not-so-unlikely spot.

Visit Florida CEO Is Leaving to Join New Governor’s Administration

Dan Peltier, Skift

Ken Lawson did what he could to turn the ship around and tried to bring more transparency to Visit Florida. But many in Florida's tourism industry remain skeptical of the organization and its work.

U.S. Customs Isn’t Protecting Traveler Data After Electronic Searches

Andrew Sheivachman, Skift

It should come as no surprise that the government isn't following its own rules when it comes to securing the traveler data it seizes from personal devices. Another reminder to take precautions, even if your chance of getting searched is rather low.

Upgrading U.S. Highways Will Require Increased Gas Tax and Tolls

Mark Niquette, Bloomberg

President Trump's pledge to invest in U.S. transportation infrastructure never materialized. It's going to take a sustained, decades-long investment as traffic increases and puts increased pressure on bridges, tunnels, and highways.

Disney Makes CEO Bonus Target Harder to Reach

Anders Melin, Bloomberg

Disney CEO Bob Iger has extended his contract multiple times, and he's poised to reap a windfall when he finally leaves the company — in addition to the cash he's pulling in during the rest of his tenure. Shareholders showed this year that they weren't happy with his compensation plan, and the board has responded.

Philly Tourism Board Builds on Its Success Attracting Black Tourists

Sarah Enelow-Snyder, Skift

Even in 2018, many travel companies still hesitate to engage people of color through marketing. Those companies, which are leaving money on the table, could take a cue from Visit Philadelphia's long-running video series featuring a member of The Roots.