The owners of the Dover Beach Hotel on the Caribbean island of Barbados aren’t concerned that recent travel advisories placed on the region will actually hurt what is shaping up to be one of the busiest tourist seasons in recent years.

Known as the Pearl of the Antilles, Cuba is regaining its luster as it prepares for an onslaught of U.S. visitors who are eager to experience the island’s unique culture.

When planning your next South American escapade, Cuba's capital should be near the top of your list. Apart from its smiling citizens and pearly-white shorelines, Havana's rustic ambience tells the story of a city frozen in time.

“Cenotes are sinkholes in the earth that connect with a vast underground river system that runs from the north of the Yucatan Peninsula to the south, emptying into the Caribbean,” explained our photographer Bill Milligan, who has been completely seduced by the Mayan culture since his youth.

For travelers, 2015 was bookended by news about borders. The year began with the nudging open of borders that had been closed to U.S. tourists for a half century but ended with calls to tighten borders worldwide.

Cuba is on the verge of a U.S. invasion — not by a conquering army but by a wave of American tourists, the travel industry, and numerous companies all poised to make it the next big vacation spot for American tourists.