WSTHA calls on sustainable travel pioneers to enter inaugural programme

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, May 16. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Chase cardholders can book Southwest Airlines flights through the Chase Travel portal, and that’s a rarity for leisure travelers.

With things looking up for tourism in The Bahamas, representatives of the country’s Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) are set to build on their success at the 42nd edition of Caribbean Travel Marketplace. Hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and scheduled for 20 - 23 May 2024 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica, the Caribbean’s largest tourism marketing event will offer opportunity for The Bahamas to shine as buyers and sellers of tourism products and services from countries across the region convening for business. In 2023, The Bahamas saw record-breaking tourism growth accounting for 9.6 million visitors, up 38% from 2022. While foreign air arrivals rose 17% to record 1.7 million in 2023, cruise arrivals surged 43.5% to record 7.9 million. The country’s 16 islands all enjoyed significant increases, with visits to New Providence, for instance, up 36% in 2023, to Grand Bahama up 44%, and the Out Islands up 40%.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Thursday, May 16. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

WHY IT RATES: The partnership is an industry-first for a host agency and travel supplier to award ASTA scholarships. — Lacey Pfalz, Associate Writer, TravelPulse

Reserved front of stage access with plenty of room to dance on your own with Renee Rapp or freestyle with Megan Thee Stallion? Check. All-day noshes prepared by Boston’s top chefs—think grilled swordfish belly, ginger-lime crab cakes, and Wagyu Beef Sliders? Check. An open bar featuring specialty cocktails, beer and wine? Check. Boston Calling, the city’s annual music festival, just keeps getting better – especially if you’re a Platinum ticket holder.

On 6 February 2023, Türkiye suffered one of the most devastating events in its post-war history: a pair of 7.8- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that ravaged the country’s southeastern region, killing more than 50,000 people in 11 provinces. With over 160,000 buildings severely damaged or destroyed, 100,000 people injured and 3 million displaced, the disaster’s effects were felt across the nation and reverberate to this day.

Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is calling for a more aggressive push for human capital development which is critical to future proof tourism for small island states like Jamaica. The Minister made the call during ‘The New Age of Island Tourism’ panel at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. “The future of tourism will depend on innovation, agility and creativity from our workers who are at the heart of our hospitality machinery. It is through the dedication and commitment of our tourism workers that the industry has been able to recover from the pandemic and grow.

As some travelers become more conscious of their carbon footprint, Alaska Airlines is betting that they’d be willing to buy credits to reduce their environmental impact while flying. 

If you're looking for a feel-good way to boost your Alaska Airlines elite status, look no further than the carrier's latest initiative.

Dubai, situated in one of the world’s driest regions, was hit with a second bout of heavy rains and strong winds this week — just two weeks after the desert metropolis was covered in a year’s worth of rain in the span of 12 hours. 

Theresa Marryshow is an organic farmer on an unlikely mission.