Brazilian authorities are confident about the economic recovery of the Dominican Republic and, therefore, are encouraging their own entrepreneurs to do business in that Caribbean country, a diplomatic source in this nation revealed this week.
Brazilian Ambassador to Santo Domingo, Ronaldo Dunlop, who atended a meeting with Santiago de Chile Governor Jose Izquierdo, explained there´s a tremendous interest in his country to make hefty investments in local breweries and other job-creating projects.
Star Cruises recorded a $USD9 million loss in 2004, compared with a $124 million loss in 2003. Revenues for the third-largest cruise company, which includes Star Cruises and NCL Corp., rose 1.1% year-over-year, to $1.6 billion, Travel Weekly magazine reports.
Net yields at NCL Corp., which includes Norwegian Cruise Line, NCL America and Orient Lines, rose 6.9%. The division recorded 105.9% occupancy during 2004; occupancy on NCL America´s ship, the Pride of Aloha, was 100.7%.
The GDS Amadeus completed its acquisition of European hospitality technology company Optims, after it had taken a 30% stake in Optims in September 2003. It now controls the entire company.
Optims now can provide hoteliers with a complete suite of services, covering everything from booking to checkout. In a similar move, Sabre late last year had acquired Synxis, also a hotel technology provider.
The lack of cooperation within the airline industry in the Caribbean is contributing to the poor financial status of this sector in the region, regretted Garry Cullen, Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua-based Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT).
Mr. Cullen expressed that the overall state of the regions air carriers must be a matter of serious concern to Caribbean governments as well as the aviation and tourism industry leaders. LIAT has been forced to launch a new strategic plan in an effort to cope with its financial woes.
The Caribbean has emerged as an attractive market for struggling United States airlines and more recent upstarts – the low cost carriers.
With the global aviation industry facing the most turbulent period ever, leading US airlines have been steadily expanding service to the region, seeking to capitalize on relatively high volumes of leisure and VFR traffic (visiting friends and relatives) in and out of the Caribbean.
The Aruba Airport Authority awarded Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. the concession to build and operate a new general aviation terminal at the Reina Beatrix Airport. The new complex will cover approximately 1,500 square meters and will have direct access roads and accommodate customs and immigration on-site.
The new facility will give general aviation aircraft complete independence from the main terminal. Construction of the new terminal is scheduled to start within 90 days. Ground handling and support will be provided from temporary facilities as early as April 2005.