Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, has officially opened its Brazil office. The office launch event held today in São Paulo was attended by US Ambassador Liliana Ayalde, Brand USA’s senior vice president for global partnerships Alfredo Gonzalez, and Brand USA’s in-market representatives.

Travel & Tourism's contribution to the world economy has grown for the fourth consecutive year and is expected to show even stronger growth in 2014. But policies need to be implemented to increase tourism receipts and jobs. That is according to The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which releases its 2014 annual economic impact data today.

This was pointed out recently when ambassador of Spain to Barbados; Jóse Mar?a Fernández López De Turiso paid a courtesy call on minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Senator Maxine McClean.

The Guyanese government has designated tourism as a priority sector of the economy; contributing seven percent to the Gross Domestic Product and providing directly 2,000-3,000 jobs.

Using the ‘Turistika Model’, CTB and MEO calculated that in January 2014 the tourism sector was directly responsible for generating 35.2 million US dollars into the local economy. January of 2013 generated a total of 33.0 million US dollars. European stay over visitors, who visited Curacao in greater numbers during January 2014, spent a total 18 million US dollars, about 51% of the total.

TripAdvisor announced plans to extend its TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program into Canada and Europe for the first time, following rapid growth in the U.S. The TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program aims to help travelers around the world plan greener trips by highlighting hotels and B&Bs engaging in environmentally friendly practices.