Business View Caribbean | Volume 8, Issue 9

3 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 8, ISSUE 9 I berostar Group, a global hospitality chain with 80% of its hotels on the seafront, has joined Expedia Group and UNESCO in the expansion of the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge (hereafter ‘UNESCO Pledge’). Iberostar has a strong commitment to the oceans and the local communities where the company operates, while the UNESCO Pledge promotes responsible practices, community resilience, and heritage conservation, with the goal of changing the nature and impact of global tourism. Expedia Group’s recent Traveler Value Index research shows that travelers want to support sustainable practices, with nearly three in five (59%) willing to pay higher fees to IBEROSTAR GROUP JOINS FORCES WITH EXPEDIA GROUP IN THE U TRAVEL PLEDGE AND LAUNCHES THE “DISCOVER IBEROSTAR” MED make their trip more sustainable. Expedia Group data reveals an annual growth in the number of international visitors of 5% compared to 2020 in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Bahamas and Jamaica. In this order, United States and Canada lead the international demand for Jamaica. Montego Bay is the most searched city by domestic and international travelers in the country, followed by Ocho Rios and Negril. “Our partnership with UNESCO seeks to ensure the preservation and sustainability of communities, many of which are wholly dependent on travel,” said Katherine Cheng, O p e n i n g L i n e s