Cancun grapples with declining tourist arrivals as Punta Cana’s explosive growth Cancun, long a favored destination for American tourists in search of sun, sand, and relaxation, is facing increasing competition. The rising popularity of Punta Cana, coupled with operational issues at Cancun International Airport, security concerns, and changes in traveler preferences, is shifting tourism patterns. While Cancun remains a major draw, recent trends indicate a shift in where American travelers are choosing to vacation. Decline in Tourist Arrivals Recent data from airport authorities show a decline in Cancun’s international passenger numbers. In early 2025, the airport recorded 3.76 million passengers, down from 4.13 million in the same period of 2024—a nearly 9% drop. Part of this decline is attributed to the opening of a new international airport in Tulum, which is diverting some of the region’s air traffic. Airport Frustrations Impacting Travel Experience For many tourists, their first experience in Cancun [...]

CDB funding new tourism initiative in the Caribbean The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) says it is collaborating with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) in a new initiative to modernise tourism education and workforce development across the Caribbean. The region’s premier financial institution said that the project is also aimed at strengthening the Caribbean’s competitiveness in an industry vital to its economic stability. The Tourism Human Capital Development Project, funded through CDB’s Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS) Network, will allocate about US$400,000 to update training materials, develop workforce management tools and deliver professional development programmes. Titled “Enhancing the Knowledge and Skills of Tourism Workers in the Caribbean Region”, the project aims to bolster the sustainability of the tourism industry, particularly for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The CDB said that by modernising educational resources, the initiative will enhance tourism curricula, improve workplace management and expand training opportunities for employers, workers [...]

UNESCO and the European Union promote training in Creative Tourism in the Caribbean UNESCO / H. Bejerano Over 4 days, 40 site managers, cultural authorities, young culture professionals and tourism entrepreneurs from 14 Caribbean countries participated in the Creative Tourism workshop, organized by the programme  Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, implemented by UNESCO and funded by the European Union. The workshop took place in Saint George, Grenada, from 25 to 28 February 2025. Through keynote lectures, thematic round tables and working group sessions, participants were able to design and co-create creative tourism experiences. The initiative is based on the UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Toolkit and aims to diversify the tourism offer in the Caribbean and promote more sustainable tourism in a region that largely depends on income from this sector. Diversifying the Region's Offer In the opening session, Petra Roach, Director General of [...]