Supported by the main leading international institutions involved in tourism, development and the African continent (African Union, World Tourism Organization, UNCTAD, World Bank, African Development Bank, Geneva State), TourismAfrica2006 will gather in Geneva, Switzerland, the great majority of countries from the whole African continent from September 10 to 15. This new international event dedicated to Africa´s tourism industry will offer the possibility for African countries on the one hand to promote and on the other to develop their tourism and for investors to seize the opportunities offered by the continent.

The members of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) will convene at the annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference, better known as CHIC 2006, to be held from June 25 to 28 at the Hyatt Regency Miami, in Florida, in association with American Express. The agenda of the four-day conference will be in tune with CHA´s mission to max out the full potential of the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry. To that end, sessions will focus on strategic approaches for the Caribbean hotel sector to respond to the global tourism challenge.

Grenada received high ratings last week from the ICC Assessment team headed by the Venue Development Director, Don Lockerbie. According to Mr. Lockerbie, Grenada is now making action and not promises in the face of next year´s Cricket World Cup. Members of the media also got a firsthand look at the Stadium facility and the work being done there. The tour highlighted some of the accomplishments made over the last few weeks and the way forward.

The Event services Village at EIBTM 2006 has already sold 50 percent of its space and has doubled in size compared to last year. Companies who have already reserved space include Parthen The Meeting Services Company, provider of audiovisual and registration products from Holland; UK´s Nexus Collections Ltd, and Phoenix Entertainment Holding Group, an event and entertainment company, and Next Generation.

Top tourism officials from the Floridian city of Orlando are staging the biggest commercial tradeshow for the local market in the past five years. An estimated 1,600 travel buyers from 70 countries and more than 200 international journalists kicked off Saturday in Orlando the Travel Industry Association of America´s International Powwow, a five-day event in which the city will be showcasing itself at a time when both local hotel occupancy rates and international visitors are on the decline.

The Caribbean island nation of St Lucia is now enduring a pleasant assault of visitors that over the next two weeks will perform at St. Lucia Jazz, the region´s most longstanding jazz festival that opened in the capital city of Castries this weekend. St Lucia Minister of Tourism, Philip Pierre said hotel bookings are strong, the venues are hot, and the people of St Lucia are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the festival.