UN Tourism opens call for Best Tourism Villages 2025 UN Tourism has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its prestigious Best Tourism Villages initiative. This initiative marks a continued commitment to advancing rural tourism as a catalyst for sustainable development and inclusion, while celebrating the rich tapestry of cultural and natural heritage, community values, and sustainable practices that make these destinations unique. Since its inception in 2021, the initiative has gained global recognition. Across the previous four editions, UN Tourism has received more than 800 applications from over 100 countries. Today, the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages Network includes 254 members worldwide: over 180 villages recognized as Best Tourism Villages and 70 participating in the Upgrade Programme, representing almost 60 countries across five world regions. The Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism celebrates rural destinations where tourism serves as a catalyst for opportunity, cultural preservation, and sustainable growth UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab [...]

Gaviota to present the Hotel Playa Luxury Cayo Guillermo The Gaviota Tourism Group describes the Hotel Playa Luxury Cayo Guillermo, which will open its doors on February 8 in the Jardines del Rey complex, as a new icon of luxury tourism in Cuba. Also described by the company as a new benchmark for hospitality and comfort in the Caribbean, the Playa Luxury Cayo Guillermo will offer guests a unique concept where elegance, comfort and personalized service combine to create an unforgettable stay, according to a press release issued by Gaviota. This new hotel will be distinguished by its attention to detail and its focus on exclusivity, with high-level services such as a permanent butler service, private pools, exclusive areas on the beach and personalized transportation for greater guest well-being. The spaces have also been designed for maximum comfort. With the Hotel Playa Luxury Cayo Guillermo, Gaviota seeks to raise the standard [...]

Bacalar mayor announces construction of new Marriott Hotel Construction for a new hotel in the town of Bacalar is scheduled to start at the beginning of next month. Bacalar Mayor José Alfredo Contreras Méndez says Marriott Hotels will begin the construction of their new project in early March. According to Contreras Méndez, the boutique hotel will be built on Cenote Azul and consist of 60 luxury rooms. He says the project will also create local jobs, requiring at least 500 construction workers. Contreras Méndez made the announcement official after meeting with Marriott Hotels executives in Madrid last month. During their meeting at the International Tourism Fair, the hotel confirmed the March start date for construction. The announcement of the hotel project was first made public in November of 2024 by the Mayor. He says the new hotel will not be all-inclusive and construction, once started, is expected to be completed within [...]

Hyatt’s new Punta Cana all-inclusive If you’ve been following the hotel industry in the Caribbean in recent years, you’ve seen just how much Hyatt has been expanding into the all-inclusive space. It began back in 2021 with its acquisition of then-all-inclusive leader Apple Leisure Group, and now the company’s Inclusive Collection continues to swell, with a focus on brands like Secrets and Dreams across much of the Caribbean and Mexico. And yes, much of that resort growth has been in the Dominican Republic, the most-visited destination in the Caribbean by a large margin (with continued record-breaking arrival numbers) and home to more all-inclusive resorts than just about anywhere else on earth. But Hyatt’s next all-inclusive in the country’s tourism stronghold of Punta Cana will be wearing a new badge: Vivid, an all-inclusive brand Hyatt says is designed for the “next generation of all-inclusive travelers.” It’s not the first Vivid in the Caribbean region; [...]

In Antigua, a new push to study Caribbean Whales — by listening to them They’re the biggest — and some of the most essential — creatures in the Caribbean ecosystem: whales, including the humpbacks, sperm whales and pilot whales that frequent the region’s waters. Many whales migrate annually to mate and give birth, while playing an important role in the ecosystem — from facilitating nutrient cycling to supporting the growth of phytoplankton through their waste. But, as with many marine creatures worldwide, whales are facing challenges, from ocean plastic to noise pollution to climate change. And with so much still unknown about their movements, status and interactions in the region, conservation is that much more difficult. That’s why a new initiative based in Antigua and Barbuda is looking to deepen our understanding of whales in the Caribbean. The new project, the brainchild of the Elkhorn Marine Conservancy in Antigua, will deploy [...]