by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Sat June 28, 2025
June saw quite a bit of news about destinations around the world, from Jeff Bezos’s Venetian wedding spurring city-wide protests to a new worldwide travel alert for Americans heading abroad.
Check out the biggest news you need to know right here, and don’t forget to click the links provided to read the full stories.
Impacting Travel Around the World: Advisories, Overtourism and More
The Dominican Republic remained the Caribbean’s most-visited destination in 2024. (Photo by Brian Major)
Ahead of the next few years’ international events in the United States, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and Paralympics, people are wondering whether Trump’s travel ban will include competitors, their coaches and the games itself.
We dug into the travel ban rule to find the truth: while competitors, their coaches and other necessary staff will be permitted to visit the United States to compete, things could get complicated for pre-event training sessions, and for travelers wanting to cheer on their teams in person.
The U.S. State Department also issued two new travel warnings this June: it updated its travel advisory for the Dominican Republic with a new warning about crime, though it remains a Level 2 risk.
The department also issued a worldwide travel alert following the U.S. attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, warning travelers to remain cautious as they travel abroad this year.
As we head into the summer, we’re likely to read more and more about overtourism, especially in Europe.
In June, we covered the news about how Venice is protesting the wedding of Jeff Bezos, with residents planning to block canals and posting posters that read, “No Space for Bezos,” across the city, in large part due to Venice’s increasing popularity for the ultra-rich and growing challenges for residents.
Additionally, the Scottish city of Glasgow became the second city in the country to add a five percent tourist tax on overnight accommodations, which will go into effect in 2027 and is estimated to provide £16 million for public services and infrastructure.
Inside the Industry: Destination Celebrations and Challenges
Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo Credit: Adobe/Anna)
Tourism boards and destinations are also celebrating some new achievements, providing information on how their destination is doing this year and more.
Hawai’i launched a new Maui campaign to help speed up its recovery in the wake of the Maui wildfires. Visitor totals remain 21 percent below pre-wildfire levels, and brands like ALG Vacations and Classic Vacations have signed on to participate in the campaign.
Additionally, the Grenada Tourism Authority celebrated the appointment of a new CEO. Stacy A. Liburd is the new CEO. She was previously the director of tourism for the Anguilla Tourist Board.
The US Virgin Islands released data about its current tourism numbers, noting that while air travel is a bit lower than it was last year, its cruise passenger totals have increased four percent from last year, and revenue is still higher than the Caribbean average.
Brand USA remains confident that the next decade will see a strong growth for travel to the United States, even as international arrivals dip below 2024 levels this year. New data sheds light on the impact of Canada-US tourism dipping, and how both are being impacted as relations grow tense.
Lastly, but certainly not least, The Bahamas is stepping up its commitment to conservation by establishing its own coral gene bank, located at Atlantis Paradise Island. The initiative is a public-private one focused on saving species and reproducing them to plant in the wild.
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