Japan registered a travel surplus of about US$10.6 billion in 2015, suggesting its growing competitiveness as an exporter of tourism. [...] The Japanese government launched its Visit Japan Campaign in 2003, which led to a steady increase in the number of foreign visitors. But to explain the rapid increase in inbound tourists in recent years, we need to focus on developments since 2013. 

Aoury and her friends came to Cuba on a cultural exchange program because it is still illegal for Americans to visit Cuba solely as tourists, and the U.S. maintains the trade embargo on Cuba that has been in place since 1960.

ASEAN-Korea Tourism Development Workshop, the venue gathered over 100 representatives from the government, private sector and academia to discuss recent trends and possibilities in the industry. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is promoting a form of tourism environmentally nondestructive, socially responsible and commercially sustainable. 

Saudi Arabia has an image problem. From allegations of exporting a radical Islamist ideology, to the war on Yemen and gender rights, the country’s reputation often takes a battering around the world. Now, the culture ministry has been given the challenging task of improving domestic and international perceptions, while delivering a 10 per cent increase in positive media coverage of the kingdom by 2020.

Arnaud, who also long has been involved with the Alliance Francaise de Charleston, said putting this mural at the airport links French history and culture with that of Charleston. “It’s a good thing happening for history, tourism and diplomacy,” she said.

The tourist market is getting broader, changing and becoming more competitive. Understandably, nations and cities are constantly battling for their share of the huge tourism revenues to sustain the viability of attractions that bring in tourists and travelers – whether they are pristine beaches, ancient monuments, or natural wonders. To attract more tourists, destinations strive to outdo one another in trying to be different through destination branding.

It’s been a busy winter in downtown Athens, where scaffolding, tarpaulins and dust have been symbols of hope: a mini construction boom heralding a tourist renaissance. Nine hotels are being built or restored around the city centre. [...] The Greek Tourism Confederation, Sete, is predicting another bumper season for an industry that has long been the single biggest contributor to the economy and job market.

As a competitive contender to be one of the world’s top tourist destinations in the coming years, Morocco has redeveloped its brand to specifically target the wider, English-speaking audience and further showcase the cultural diversity and historical vibrancy of its country. In cooperation with Spring, a strategic communications design agency based in the UK, the Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO) launched the Much Morocco campaign targeted at the English- speaking market.