Paris._ French tourist group Club Méditerranée registered losses for 21,929,824 euros in the first half of 2002 as compared with 5.4 million euros worth of benefits ratcheted up in the same span of time the year before, the company said.

Havana._ Cuba’s minister of tourism, Ibrahim Ferradaz, took a grand tour around some hotels and stores in Varadero to personally supervise the circulation of euros, a currency that made its debut in that destination last Saturday, the local press commented.

Mexico._ Fees charged for the use of facilities and services in Mexico City’s Benito Juarez Airport rank sixth among the world’s most expensive ones, as concluded in a recently disclosed research study entitled.

Madrid._ The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) foreboded the leisure industry and those economic sectors indirectly linked to it will churn out 6.6 million new jobs worldwide in the year 2003, thanks to the fact that demand will score a groundbreaking 6% growth. In February 2004, these sectors will be bouncing back to the same employment levels registered before 9/11, said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, chairman of this association of tourism professionals.

Santo Domingo.- Authorities in the Dominican Republic will set going a comprehensive investment program in different regions of the country with a view to stimulate tourism development, the DTC News wireless service reportedly announced. Sources in the sector pointed out the Dominican government will chip in some $235 million for several projects clustered in four provinces and in the Caribbean nation’s capital.

London._ Veteran airline boss Sir Michael Bishop has warned aviation investors not to expect any relief from the pain in the industry until the summer of next year, according to a report on Hotel Online news service. Announcing a sharp fall into the red at his privately-owned BMI British Midland, Bishop said: "Trading in 2002 continues to be extremely challenging and we do not anticipate a recovery until next year.