James Lancaster, Editorial Director at Northstar Meetings Group, highlights how stricter immigration policies are increasingly affecting international conferences. Visa denials, particularly for delegates from the Global South, limit participation and make global collaboration more difficult, raising questions about inclusivity and the ability to address shared challenges effectively.
ECA continues to advocate for lower visa wait times at US embassies and consulates around the world. As of May 25, 51 US embassies and consulates had average interview wait times of 3 months or longer. Long wait times persist in Mexico, India, Columbia, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries. While wait times…
The City Travel Report by CityDNA 2024–2025 marks a pivotal moment for Europe’s urban destinations. Stabilisation replaces recovery as European city destinations adapt to a shifting tourism landscape. Based on benchmarking insights from 128 cities, the 21st edition of the report reveals that growth is moderating—average bednight growth slowed to 5.8% in 2024, down from…
Tourism faces constant challenges, but political instability has emerged as a critical disruptor. How do political shifts affect travellers and how can destinations stay resilient? TOPOSOPHY’s research, based on a 6-country survey and case studies, explores traveller perceptions and offers smart strategies for destinations to build trust and adapt, whether facing a crisis or preparing…
From City Nation Place: Ever booked a trip, only to suddenly feel a nagging doubt as political headlines flare up? You’re not alone. In today’s hyper-connected world, the news doesn’t just inform us; it shapes our choices, especially when it comes to travel. Political instability isn’t just a distant issue anymore; it’s a critical player…
From CNBC: Visitors to the United States will need to pay a “visa integrity fee,” according to a provision of the Trump administration’s recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The fee applies to all visitors who need nonimmigrant visas to enter, and cannot be waived. However travelers may also be able to get the…
A comprehensive analysis of the travel industry, the report includes more than 300 charts and insights covering nearly every facet of the industry. Despite the rising geopolitical and trade tensions, there has been sustained growth in global travel demand, but the online travel distribution landscape is fragmenting as financial institutions launch their own booking platforms…
In partnership with Destinations International, TravelAbility has created a customized Accessibility Playbook designed to assist destination organizations and their local stakeholders in developing and implementing practical accessibility strategies and initiatives, enabling them to better welcome and accommodate people with disabilities within their destination. The Accessibility Playbook helps destinations move from compliance to a competitive edge.
Northstar’s global hosted-buyer event for the incentive travel industry—brings together the most highly-qualified incentive travel buyers with top incentive destinations, hotels/resorts, cruise lines, DMCs, DMOs, technology and merchandise providers, and tourism offices from around the world. Attendees participate in one-on-one pre-scheduled appointments, gain industry insights from our guest speakers and network with this exclusive group…
Presented by SportsTravel, and hosted by the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, TEAMS ’25 will be held October 13–16 in Columbus, Ohio. Launched in 1998, TEAMS draws more than 1,300 participants including CEOs, executive directors and event managers from sports organizations as well as representatives from sports commissions and convention bureaus, corporate sponsors, event suppliers and…
VisitBritain’s updated Delegate Spend Report reveals that 62% of all delegates on average intend to return to the city where the event is held, and 47% intend to return to invest or grow business relationships, encouraging sector growth. You can learn more about the findings / download the full report here…
Wonderful Copenhagen’s new high-level strategy for tourism (including Business Events) 2024-2030, designed to “shed light on tourism’s true impact on society and the world – its positive and negative effects, and its direct and indirect.” A model for meaningful engagement with local citizens and deeper links to local business and scientific ecosystems.
From NBC News: Business travel’s four-year crawl out the pandemic was on track to continue this year, but the US trade war has scrambled that outlook. “The big word is uncertainty,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO of the Global Business Travel Association, which had forecast worldwide spending to surge to $1.64 trillion in 2025, up from…
From Irish Examiner: Academics are cancelling planned conferences and seminars in the US because of the risk of harassment and interrogation by immigration officials. That is the warning from Scott Lucas, professor of international politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin. It comes as immunologist Professor Luke O’Neill revealed he had “never been quizzed…
From Travel Weekly: Five members of the Brand USA board were reportedly fired by email on Friday, as the Trump Administration moves to mark its stamp on the US tourism industry. According to the industry title Skift, the decision came from the White House. The five members fired from the board were reportedly chair Elliott…
From M&IT: In this latest episode of The Meeting Room, Neil Brownlee, head of Business Events Scotland and the first non-North American chair of US-based meetings association PCMA, gives us his take on Trump’s impact on the international meetings and events sector. He also provides a withering analysis of the main challenges facing those who…
From Boardroom: As climate change climbs the global agenda, academia is being pushed to rethink how it conducts research, collaborates, and shares knowledge. In this timely piece, Mickael Benaim, Associate Director & Head of Research at SFA Connect, explores how CO₂ emission budgets are reshaping academic travel, conference formats, and institutional sustainability strategies…
From Business Traveler: Anxiety is creeping into the corridors of corporate travel. With 2025 well underway, a new survey from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) paints a sobering picture: nearly one-third of global travel managers expect their company’s business travel volume to fall significantly next year, with an average forecasted drop of 21 percent….
From Quest Means Business: “We do get the impression that the beef here is really with the Trump administration, not the American people necessarily.” Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit found that many travelers staying away from the U.S. due to Trump are happy to come once his presidency is over…
At The Meetings Show APAC 2025, Michael Shoory, Head of APAC Tourism Analysis – Tourism Economics, shared insights on the rebound of MICE activity and business travel globally, and for APAC specifically, and discussed Tourism Economics’ projections for business travel in APAC in coming years, the economic benefits of business and MICE tourism for destinations,…
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