A Caribbean hotelier has issued a call for strengthening the hotel sector's ties to local food producers. Such local linkages asserted Barbadian hotelier Ralph Taylor generate several benefits: "First, tourists want to savor the local delicacies. In fact, one of the most common complaints is the dearth of local dishes."

New York City will welcome a record-breaking 54.3 million visitors this year, according to NYC & Company. By the end of 2013, visitors will have generated $58.7 billion in economic impact and $39.4 billion in direct spending.

Addressing the Royal Aeronautical Society at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) headquarters, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai called for increased visa facilitation and the liberalization of air transport to help the development of civil aviation and tourism.

Jamaica Tourism Minister Dr. Wykeham McNeill has said that over $20 billion in investments have been earmarked for Jamaica's tourism sector. McNeill pointed to some of the latest investments, such as the Kingston-based 130-room Courtyard by Marriott.

Just over 10,000 Russian tourists visited the island over an eight month period with the establishment of a direct flight from the European country to Jamaica this year. The number of Russian visitors represented a 644 percent increase over the same period in the previous year.

Sandals Resorts International recently hosted the Caribbean's largest recorded organized group of deaf American tourists at its Sandals Negril resort in Westmoreland. During their one-week stay at the resort, the 22 deaf Americans visited several of the island's historical sites, shopping centers and water attractions.