Aruba was well represented at the recently closed ITB 2005, one of the biggest and longest travel tradeshow in Europe that devotes 3 days for consumers and trade and the last 2 days just for trade. A record number of 10,409 exhibitors from 181 countries attended the event. The Minister of Tourism and Transportation was present as well as Myrna Jansen, Rafael Estrada, Humphrey Vrolijk, Rensley Zijlstra and Rita Morozow of the Aruba Tourism Authority.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has organized a special event at the Berlin Tourist Trade Fair (ITB), running March 11 through 15, to present the diversity of the Caribbean´s tourism product and how the region can take greater advantage of the German market. The CTO has set up the 6th Karibik Forum in conjuction with Messe Berlin, the trade fair organizers as a lively informative presentation and debate for the European travel trade press and delegates to the ITB. It will take place on Saturday March 12 in Hall 7 at the International Congress Center.

Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay will come to the Berlin International Travel Fair (ITB) –scheduled from March 11 to 15- with the presentation of a joint offer for the first time ever. The five-pack´s common exhibition space will have 32 square yards, with all countries making a contribution of their own to the stand decoration.

The World Travel Expo will take place in Mexico for a third year in a row from October 5 to 7; however organizers have already confirmed the attendance of representatives from some 20 countries. Last year, this superb travel show set new record highs in number of visitors (11.7 million) and revenues ($4.5 billion). Mexico is the second most visited travel destination in the Western Hemisphere and one of the world’s top ten most sought-after countries.

The recently concluded Colombian Tourist Tradeshow (ANATO 2005), organized by the country’s Association of Travel & Tourism Agencies, couldn’t be any better, said Luis Guillermo Plata, chairman of PROEXPORT. The senior official explained this 24th edition served as a threshold to the International Tourism Round scheduled to take place in the second half of the year. Attendants inked over fifty contracts and agreements, especially between international buyers invited by PROEXPORT and some forty Colombian tour operators and travel agents.

Tour operators from roughly two dozen countries will gather in the Peruvian cities of Iquitos and Lima for the oncoming edition of the Peru Travel Mart (PTM), scheduled to get cracking from April 27 to May 1. The PTM is the South American nation’s premier travel show that serves as a marketing showcase for new homemade products and services, as well as for the promotion of Peru’s travel destinations along the coast, in the jungle and up in the mountains.