The Caribbean is the destination of choice among those who like traveling and having fun while working, said Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and American Express in a joint comparative annual report.

Planners of the Eighth Caribbean Tourist Marketplace are on a cloud nine of expectations and hopes as their main event –scheduled for April 19 through 21 in the Dominican Republic- closes in. The agenda includes an array of professionals meetings, personalized appointments, the presentation of new travel products, lectures and debates at the business center.

With the sponsorship of Havana’s Historian Office, the colonial-style Palacio O’Farrill Hotel organized the Irish-Cuban Cultural Week for a second year running on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day last March 17. The event included a number of activities that hyped the establishment as the traditional venue for this particular red-letter day.

Congress and convention tourism climbed a staggering 32.7 percent in Uruguay last year, according to a report disclosed by the Uruguayan Association of Congresses and Related Events.

All through last year, the country played host to 470 gatherings, including 179 international powwows that helped the nation reap an average $1,400.

Central American nations attended the past Berlin International Tourism Fair (ITB), one of the biggest fairs in the business, with a view to get the better of European and German travelers by unveiling a diverse tourist product.

“If we think about the profile of the German tripper, we’ll see that he looks for nature, culture and adventure, and that’s exactly the kind of offer we’re presenting to the German market right now,” said Javier Vega, head of the Central American Tourism Agency (CATA).

Execs from Havana Club International, a Cuban-French joint venture, celebrated the tenth anniversary of the company that distills Cuba’s best-known rum and that last year alone sold 1.9 million cases of 9-lt. bottles, mostly to Europe.

“As we speak, Europe is our premier market and it’s there where we’re focusing our attention on,” said Alexander Sirech of Havana Club International, a merger between France’s Pernod Ricard Group and Cuba Ron.