New Zealand has dropped a place in an international country brand strength report, but academics say the country’s international reputation is still strong.  A country’s brand strength is determined by its performance in goods & services, tourism, talent and investment.

Fears of a third intifada could mar the vital Christmas tourism season in Israel and the Palestinian territories, delivering a second blow to an industry still reeling from the summer Gaza war, say officials and venue operators on both sides.

“Bermuda has been a little bit forgotten,” said Victoria Isley, the chief marketing and sales officer of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, who took the post in April after leading Destination Marketing Association International, a trade association.  To do so, the island is turning to where travelers increasingly learn about destinations: social media

In January 2012, amid concerns that the U.S. was failing to capitalize on global tourism growth, President Obama issued an executive order aimed at improving U.S. visa processing in Brazil and China.

Indonesia announced last week that it will scrap visa on arrival fees for Australians in an attempt to boost the number of visitors to the country. While this may lead to a small increase in Australian tourists visiting Bali, what the government really needs to do to increase people-to-people exchange to make it easier for young people to work and study in Indonesia ultimately facilitating deeper economic, political and cultural relations.

Chinese President Xi Jinping's crackdown on government corruption, which began almost two years ago, has had a profound impact in China itself.  It is also hurting a specialized niche of the U.S. tourism industry.