by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Wed May 28, 2025
May was a big month for news about destinations around the world, from the announcement for the new Disneyland Abu Dhabi park to creative new ways destinations from Hawaii to Copenhagen are combating overtourism and new information on the Trump Slump happening closer to home.?
Read about the biggest destination news you should know down below, and make sure to click the blue links to read the full stories.?
Disney to Build New Theme Park in Abu Dhabi
Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be Disney's seventh theme park resort destination. (Photo Credit: Disney)
Disney announced in early May that it would be developing its new theme park in Abu Dhabi. Disneyland Abu Dhabi doesnt have an opening date just yet, but its expected to take a few years. Itll be located on Yas Island, and several renderings, including an announcement video, have been released.?
Caribbean Tourism Surges, Future Plans
There have been several new developments in the Caribbean this month.?
Voters in the Cayman Islands rejected a plan that would build permanent cruise ship piers yet again, in a decisive referendum. Local sustainable organization CPR Cayman told reporters that the plan was too vague and didnt provide enough hard detail to encourage residents to support the plan.?
The Cayman Islands lack of permanent cruise port has been a big topic in the travel industry, as cruise ships have slowed and reduced visiting the islands due to the lack of cruise infrastructure, preferring neighboring isles with piers.
Port Zante in Basseterre town, St. Kitts And Nevis. (Photo Credit: Mikolaj Niemczewski / Adobe Stock)
In St. Kitts, the tourism officials reported that the island saw a 15 percent year-over-year increase in overnight visitor arrivals in 2024. That number is also higher than 2019 figures. And, with its permanent Port Zante in Basseterre, cruise tourism also increased 8.4 percent year-over-year.?
Lastly, leaders from throughout the Caribbean gathered this month at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Associations Forum to discuss the future of the regions tourism industry, focusing on diversifying tourism markets, growing experiential travel offerings, strengthening critical infrastructure and air connectivity.?
Entry Rules and Travel Advisories
We reported on some new entry rules and travel advisories in May, including a new travel advisory for American travelers heading to Germany, information on Thailands new entry rules and more.
Two popular destinations are also requiring booking systems or reservations: Maltas Blue Lagoon is reducing overtourism with a new booking system, while those heading to Yosemite National Park this summer will be required to make a reservation ahead of their visit.?
Overtourism & Sustainability Developments
Travelers heading to Copenhagen this summer can enjoy free bike rentals and other perks for choosing to travel sustainably with CopenPay. (Photo Credit: Wonderful Copenhagen)
Overtourism and sustainability are big focuses for destinations across the globe.?
In Hawaii, the state legislature passed a new tax increase for accommodations including hotels, short-term rentals and cruise ships. Funds from the tax would go towards the states climate change relief and conservation fund, which would work towards preserving Hawaiis natural treasures and creating climate resiliency.?
While lawmakers and the states governor are overwhelmingly in support of the new bill, cruise lines, including CLIA, issued a warning about a potential legal battle to come as the organization claims the bills inclusion of cruise ships in the new tax is unconstitutional.?
Further abroad, the city of Copenhagen is inspiring travelers to travel sustainability by re-launching its CopenPay program. This time, its doubling the amount of free or reduced-cost experiences travelers can redeem for doing more responsible travel initiatives, like staying longer or taking sustainable transportation methods.?
Colombia is leaning on its status as the birdwatching capital of the world to grow its responsible tourism. Colombia is home to 1,560 different species of birds, the most of any country in the globe. Its hoping to attract travelers from across the globe with more tourism offerings focusing on its natural wonders, including its biodiversity.?
Greenlands government also enacted its very first ten-year tourism development plan, focusing on growing tourism to support the needs of its people and land. Part of the plan includes using tourism funds to support healthcare for residents, requiring every tourism business to have a sustainability plan and to have 2,000 residents employed in the industry.?
Trumps Impact on Travel in the US: The Trump Slump and Congestion Pricing Drama
Couple enjoying a walk in San Francisco, California. (Photo Credit: Adobe/KseniaJoyg)
As Trumps border security and trade wars continue to impact travel to the United States, May saw a lot of new information come out about the short-term impact of his policies.?
Two destinations, Las Vegas and California, both reported dips in visitor numbers as travel to the U.S. from other countries continues its decline.?
Las Vegas reported that March numbers have dropped, from 3.68 million visitors last March to 3.39 million, with the airport reporting a 3.9 percent decrease in arrivals numbers. Another news source is attributing the drop to the Trump Slump, a decrease in overall travel to the U.S. caused by Trumps policies.?
Visit California is predicting a 1 percent drop in overall statewide visitation this year due to the Trump Slump, the first drop since the pandemic halted travel in 2020. If the nation were to go into recession, California expects a steeper drop, as more Americans would likely travel less during a recession.?
It seems other countries are capitalizing on travelers changing their minds about visiting the United States: Mexico is reporting an international visitor surge, with a 3.5 percent year-over-year increase during the first quarter of the year. Canadian arrivals increased by 13 percent from last year as many of them boycott visiting the U.S.?
Additionally, Trumps conflict with New Yorks congestion pricing program continued in May. The city of New York has requested a federal judge to block the Trump Administration from ending the citys congestion pricing program, which it has reported has reduced traffic, increased tourism spending and will generate millions to support the citys public transportation infrastructure.?
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