Top Destinations News from September 2022

Catch up on the biggest destinations news you might have missed in September…
September, 2022 is a big month for news about destinations around the world, from New Zealand’s celebration of Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings and its impact on its tourism industry to Canada announcing it was repealing all of its pandemic-related entry requirements and restrictions. Check out the biggest news from the month by clicking through this slideshow. To read the full articles, click the links provided in each slide. Don’t want to miss a beat? Subscribe to our daily TravelPulse newsletter today!

Tolkien’s Impact on New Zealand’s Tourism Industry
Tolkien’s beloved fantasy world of Middle-earth has had a decades-long impact on New Zealand’s tourism industry, and the country looks forward to renewed interest with the new “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” series.

Jamaica Wins Three Awards at World Travel Awards Caribbean & The Americas 2022
Jamaica took home three awards from the World Travel Awards Caribbean & The Americas 2022. It took home the award for the Caribbean’s Leading Nature Destination, along with two awards it has been awarded each year for over a decade.

Venice Asks Tourists to Help Cut Down on Pollution
With visitors to Venice reaching nearly pre-pandemic levels, the city that has struggled with overtourism launched a new marketing campaign within the city itself to encourage travelers not to use plastic water bottles, and instead drink from the city’s own water fountains to curb back on pollution.

US Remains Top Travel and Tourism Market
According to a new Economic Trends Report from the World Travel & Tourism Council, the United States still remaina the top travel and tourism market, generating $1.3 trillion in revenue last year. The number is $700 billion lower than pre-pandemic levels.

Fiji No Longer Requires Post-Arrival Testing
Beginning September 5, travelers to Fiji no longer have to take a post-arrival test. It also shortened the mandatory isolation period from seven to five days after arrival. Travelers are currently required to be fully vaccinated.

Saint Lucia Eliminates Pre-Testing Protocols
Saint Lucia’s vaccination requirement and pre-arrival testing requirement are no longer in effect, only requiring travelers to fill out the health screening form prior to arrival.

Japan Publishes New Sustainable Travel Guide
Ahead of Japan’s full reopening date of October 11, the country’s National Tourism Organization published a new sustainable travel guide, showcasing some of the best of Japan’s sustainability offerings, from accommodations to cultural experiences to national parks and more.

European Tourism Destinations Report Record Numbers as Rebound Continues
New data from ForwardKeys reports European destinations hitting record numbers of travelers this summer, with some nearly reaching pre-pandemic levels.

World Travel and Tourism Council Forecasts Substantial Increase in International Bookings to Mexico
The WTTC published a new report on Mexico’s ever-growing tourism industry, expecting the country to welcome 16 percent higher numbers of arrivals during the second half of this year than the same period in 2019.

Kenya Tourism Board Launches North American Marketing Campaign
The Kenya Tourism Board has launched its “Real Deal Kenya” campaign to help drive interest in its biggest traveler market, North America.

VISIT FLORIDA Debuts Three New ‘Limitless Florida’ Videos for Accessible Travel
VISIT FLORIDA is offering travelers a new way to view the state by showcasing three new “Limitless Florida” videos featuring residents and their families with disabilities, and how they enjoy the state’s accessibility offerings. The video series is part of the tourism board’s accessibility hub.

Record Tourists Arrivals for the Dominican Republic in August
The Dominican Republic is seeing a huge increase in tourists, welcoming over 621,000 travelers during August alone, a stark increase of 27 percent from pre-pandemic levels, when in August 2019 the half-island nation welcomed 497,000.

Costa Rica Aims to Jumpstart Recovery
In a TravelPulse exclusive, we take a deep dive into how Costa Rica’s new Minister of Tourism, William Rodriguez, is hoping to facilitate the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bermuda Tourism Authority Launches ‘Lost Yet Found’ Campaign
The Bermuda Tourism Authority has launched a new campaign called “Lost Yet Found,” focusing on the country’s culture, history and natural beauty to inspire travelers to lose themselves in Bermuda.

This Year’s Best City Destinations for Millennial Travelers
Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, New York City and Miami take the top five spots at this year’s best city destinations for Millennial travelers, according to the Generational Travel Index 2022.

Panama Removes All Entry Restrictions
Travelers can now travel to the country of Panama without any pandemic-related travel restrictions or requirements as of mid-September.

Netherlands Lifts the Last of Its COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
As of September 17, the Netherlands lifted its last pandemic-related entry requirements and restrictions, including its EU-entry ban.

St. Kitts Tourism Debuts “Venture Deeper” Brand Campaign
St. Kitts Tourism has begun a new campaign, “Venture Deeper,” to inspire travelers to experience self-discovery and traveling with intention throughout the island.

Bhutan Reopens with New Sustainable Tourism Strategy
The Kingdom of Bhutan officially opened to travelers after two and a half years during the pandemic on September 22, with a new sustainable tourism strategy.

Aruba Tourism CEO Discusses Island’s Strong Recovery
Take a deep dive into the state of Aruba’s tourism economy and recovery from the pandemic in an exclusive with Aruba Tourism Authority CEO Ronella Croes.

Hong Kong Removes Quarantine Requirement for International Travelers
In a step in the right direction, travelers to Hong Kong will no longer have to quarantine upon arrival; instead, they’re required to self-isolate for three days upon arrival, though the full rules are still restrictive.

Bermuda Already Back up and Running After Hurricane Fiona
Good news for one Caribbean island having experienced the recent Hurricane Fiona: Bermuda’s airports, electricity and tourism industry had all restarted less than twelve hours after the hurricane passed.

Barbados Drops All COVID-19 Travel Protocols
As of September 23, travelers to Barbados no longer need to adhere to any pandemic-related entry restrictions or requirements.

One-on-One With Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin
Learn about what draws travelers to Saudi Arabia and why you should consider it an emerging destination on the international tourism scene with a new exclusive interview with Saudi Tourism Authority CEO, Fahd Hamidaddin.

Thailand Is Lifting the Last of Its Pandemic-Era Travel Restrictions
Thailand announced it would end all of its remaining pandemic-related entry requirements and restrictions beginning October 1, 2022.

US News Names 2022 Best Countries Rankings
U.S. News & World Report published its annual Best Countries List this year, with Switzerland, Germany, Canada, U.S. and Sweden taking the first five places.

Canada to Officially Lift All Coronavirus-Related Travel Restrictions
Beginning on October 1, travelers heading to Canada will no longer be required to adhere to any pandemic-related restrictions or requirements for entry. Additionally, its nation-wide public transit mask mandate will end the same day.