by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Wed April 29, 2026
As April’s showers (hopefully) lead to May flowers, we’re highlighting the biggest destinations news of the month to inform our readers here at TravelPulse.
Some headlines were fun, like Brazil’s new Football Route, a digital platform highlighting the country’s love affair with football (or soccer for us Americans).
Other headlines were more shocking, like the report about how several Mount Everest guides were accused of poisoning their climbers in a $20 million insurance fraud scheme, with around 300 fake rescues reported by at least 32 people currently being charged with related crimes.
Read on to get the snapshots of the most important news of April, and if you want to read the full stories, click the links provided.
Europe's EES System Struggles
Woman using an EES self-service kiosk. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/tanaonte)
The European Union launched its new digital Entry/Exit System (EES for short) on April 10, but it’s been a rocky rollout. Designed to speed up the international arrivals customs system, and replace physical passport stamping, it’s actually led to hours-long delays at major European airports during the first week of its rollout, with some Airlines for Europe calling it a “systemic failure,” and calling for its removal from operations.
New Tourist Tax
The Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Mistervlad)
April saw the implementation of one new tourist tax: Barcelona’s overnight tourist tax. Travelers staying overnight in the Spanish port city this year will have to pay up to approximately $14 per person, per night on a sliding scale based on the price of their hotel stay.
Additionally, cruise passengers and those staying in short-term vacation rentals are also required to pay tourist fees.
Caribbean Tourism Numbers
Trunk Bay, US Virgin Islands. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock / Wollwerth Imagery)
The Caribbean remains a desirable destination for travelers from around the world, and that’s true this year, too.
Data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization demonstrates how the region fared in 2025 with tourism, welcoming 900,000 more visitors to its islands compared to 2024. Guyana, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Curaçao reported a strong growth in visitation. Check out the full story to read the rest of the data.
The U.S. Virgin Islands’ first quarter of the year broke visitation records, marking a 12% increase from the first quarter of 2025.
Additionally, Antigua and Barbuda announced the island nation will be increasing the number of cruise ship visitation next year, with increased calls from MSC, Royal Caribbean and other major cruise players. The Eastern Caribbean destination is also reportedly in talks with other cruise lines for potential cruise calls.
US Travel
The American, Puerto Rican and Burgundian flags fly above Castillo San Cristobal in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo Credit: Lacey Pfalz)
In U.S. travel news, a recent in-depth report by TravelPulse shows how travel industry executives are pivoting to wooing more domestic travelers as international visitation to the United States continues its year-long decline. Read the full story here.
Lastly, a new World Travel & Tourism Council economic impact report found that while the United States remains the world’s largest tourism market, its standing in the past year has led to its decline, as other markets, including China, are quickly gaining ground.
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