This year the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau has confirmed a total of 554 overall group bookings for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2004. Securing 231,400 in room night bookings, thus representing a 4.4 percent increase in overall room nights over the prior year’s figures. This overall production represents a potential economic impact of approximately U.S. $81MM to the Island’s economy. Part of this production was induced by a major boost in the sports marketing and sales efforts for which the Bureau produced 16,593 room night bookings. The sports market production represents an economic impact of approximately U.S. $5.8 million.

The Confederation of Latin American Tourism Organizations (COTAL is the Spanish acronym) is giving the finishing touches to a professional meeting of lawyers and impresarios linked to the travel industry that’s scheduled to take place on November 25 and 26 in Buenos Aires. Attendants will broach such hot issues as responsibility in the transportation of airborne passengers, IATA’s current outlay and situation, travel contracts and passenger protection, as well as regulations and guidelines of today’s Latin American tourism.

Ecuador was home last week to an international tourism congress that weighed different alternatives to beef up the Latin American travel industry and assessed the going of the leisure sector in the region. The conclave was organized and sponsored in part by the Ecuadorian Association of Travel Agencies, Tour Operators and Wholesalers (ASECUT).

Mexico’s Tabasco will be home to the First International Congress on Rural Tourism on November 29 and 30. This first edition will be focused on the development of the Aztec nation’s own agricultural tourism. Organizers told Caribbean News Digital this will be an ideal moment to exchange views and learn about new concepts for the advance of concrete marketing projects and operations aimed at rural tourism.

IFEMA, the top planner of the International Travel Fair (FITUR 2005), is giving props to its own mesh of professional services in an effort to max out attendance and allow participants to make all preparations prior to their stay in Madrid. The tourism fair, penciled in as one of the world’s major events of its kind, will stretch out from January 26 to 30 next year at the Juan Carlos I Fairgrounds in the Spanish capital.

Though the 25th edition of Spain´s International Tourism Fair is still five months away, its organizers are mapping out a hands-on promotional campaign in an effort to target unexplored markets. Scheduled for January 26 through 30, 2005 at the Juan Carlos I Fairgrounds in Madrid, FITUR planners have already cranked up a far-reaching promotional blitz in Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.