Dawit Habtemariam travel tips

The Sphere in Las Vegas is going to host its first sports event: the NHL Draft. That’s just one of the expanding uses of the immersive experiences venue, said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Everyone at the IPW travel trade show in Los Angeles was banking on doing big business for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but several tour operators told us much of it would be coming from corporations and large groups.

Many American tourism marketers are well-paid. Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta recently collected more than $1.5 million in compensation. Brand USA CEO Chris Thompson recently took home over $700,000.

Chinese tourists aren’t rushing to get a U.S. visitor visa like they did before the pandemic, according to a State Department official speaking Saturday at IPW, a travel trade conference focused on international inbound travel.

A group of U.S. Senators on Thursday pushed to restrict the use of facial recognition at airports – an effort that comes as more than 80 U.S. airports use the biometric technology with plans for expansion to more than 400.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings doesn’t expect expect to see his a slowdown in its revenue, executives said Wednesday.

The U.S. travel industry will see a full recovery in Chinese and Japanese tourism by 2026 — one year earlier than previously projected, according to the U.S. National and Travel Tourism Office’s latest annual forecast released Tuesday.

Visit Florida is about to jump start tourism to its overlooked hidden gems in its northwestern region. The destination marketing organization was awarded a $10.5 million grant earlier this month to promote the eight counties in that region, said Visit Florida CEO and President Dana Young.

Day tourists are now charged an entry toll whenever they set foot in Venice’s historic center during peak periods. The city began charging day tourists an entry fee of 5 euros (around $5.30) on Thursday.

Destination Toronto said Friday that Andrew Weir would become its president and CEO on May 1. Weir was the destination marketing organization’s executive vice president.

FIFA World Cup fans are going to need a home base as they follow their favorite teams across North America in 2026. A top contender is Atlanta, said Discover Atlanta CEO and President William Pate, who sits on the city’s hosting committee.

Hotels in cities in the path of the total solar eclipse on April 8 saw record revenue increases, according to a new analysis published by CoStar’s STR.

Amsterdam has banned new hotel developments to combat mass tourism, the municipal government announced Wednesday.

California recently branded itself as the “Ultimate Playground.” That was a pivot away from “Dream Big,” the branding it used for over a decade. 

Wisconsin has been trying to lure tourists with more than just cheese and beer in a national cable ad — the state’s first — that plays off the reality show Top Chef.

The U.S., Britain, and other Western destinations are still waiting for Chinese group tours to return to their pre-pandemic levels. Canada, however, has been adapting to the continued absence of Chinese groups. The country has sought other sources of tourism growth, such as through its new fund to attract business events and its plans to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As excitement builds for the NFL Draft, Detroit is trying to entice football fans to get off the couch to explore the city.

Brazil postponed reinstating its visa requirements for tourists from Australia, Canada, and the U.S. until 2025, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signing a decree that included that action on Tuesday.

Tourists who need help in Scotland won’t be able to turn to a visitor information center: Visit Scotland is shutting down its 25 locations across the country over the next two years.

Fred Dixon is going to be the president and CEO of Brand USA, America’s destination marketing organization, starting July 15. Brand USA made the announcement on Wednesday. Dixon is the CEO and president of NYC Tourism + Conventions.

Made Hotel in New York City has caught attention for giving its resort fee an unusual name — “curation fee.”