Preparations are underway for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) slated from January 13 to 21, 2006, local newspaper SunStar reported. Organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism-Office of Tourism Standards, a four-day seminar for liaison officers was held last week at the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) “to take a crack on protocols, social graces, culture, and security.”

Bonaire´s diving and eco-adventure event Dive Into Adventure Bonaire 2006 will take place from June 17 to 24 next year and will be organized by the Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB), its stakeholders and Scuba Diving magazine, the top sponsor. Formerly known as the Bonaire Dive Festival, Dive Into Adventure Bonaire 2006 will focus on scuba diving and the adventure of the sport while also incorporating eco-adventure activities like kayaking, windsurfing and mountain biking into the event program.

The annual LaSource Grenada Sailing Festival will celebrate its 13th edition from January 27 to 31. The festival, which since its inception in 1994 has been instrumental in placing Grenada on the world map for international sailing in the Caribbean, will feature a mix of international yachts and traditional wooden, bamboo-rigged workboats competing together in four days of racing Spice Island Style. The LaSource Grenada Sailing Festival is also well known for its provision of special entertainment for the entire family. This includes everything from fun dinghy races for the youngsters to hard fought competition within the fleet of ocean-going international yachts.

With another highly successful World Travel Market recently completed in London, the world´s attention now turns to another major world event on the travel industry´s calendar, IMEX, the meetings and events exhibition, held each year in Frankfurt, Germany. IMEX 2006 will take place at the Messe Frankfurt convention center from May 30 to June 1 and should prove to be a busy three-day fair. More than 3,000 exhibitors are expected to showcase their services, including tourist offices, major hotel groups, airlines, destination management companies, service providers, trade associations and technology experts from more than 140 countries.

Industry feedback during and immediately after EIBTM 2005 has shown that this year´s event has provided an outstanding business exchange, exceptional networking and cutting edge professional education, all under one roof over the three day period. Key highlights in this year´s edition included a streamlined appointments system that received praise from both buyers and exhibitors alike.

The seventh edition of the Meetings and Incentive Travel Workshop, FITUR CONGESOS 2006, which will be held from January 23 to 24 at the Madrid Fairgrounds, has prepared a wide program of activities and optional proposals. The Pre-tour Program stands out amongst the activities running parallel to the trade fair. Therefore, international buyers will have the opportunity to take a firsthand look at a representative part of the products and services on show through the fair´s Pre-tours Program as well as to enjoy their tourist attractions.