Nearly six in 10 Americans (57 percent) say they’ll take a holiday trip this year, up from 50 percent last year. On top of that, they say they’ll spend more; holiday travel spending is expected to reach $65.2 billion, a 10 percent increase from last year, according to the Access America Vacation Confidence Index.

The Las Vegas tourism industry continues to show signs of a steady recovery, with officials forecasting 39 million visitors to the destination in 2011, only the second time in history they will reach that mark.

The economic outlook of several Latin America and Caribbean economies has been hurt by the protracted U.S. economic recovery. More than two years after the Great Recession, the U.S. consumer is still feeling pinched and wary.

International tourist arrivals grew by 4.5 per cent in the first eight months of 2011 to a total of 671 million (29 million more than in the same period of 2010), however the outlook for 2012 is for little if any growth. South America (+13 percent) continues to lead growth in the Americas.

If your clients want to go Europe, tell them to book now. Airlines are expected to cut seating capacity on international flights to Europe next year between 5 and 10 percent, according to TravCorp USA. The percentage of that reduction will fluctuate by destination as the region’s economic outlook is evaluated.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), the business travel and meetings and events management, company, released its 2012 Travel Price Forecast projecting supplier prices for airlines, hotels, ground transportation providers, and meetings and events (M&E) spend.