The House Alliance Organization riled against the threat of sexual trade with minors now sweeping Latin America within the framework of the 17th Inter American Tourism Congress, sponsored by the OAS and held in Guatemala this week with a turnout of 34 countries.

“House Alliance will denounce the threats of sex exploitation with minors in Latin America… and will support the struggle this organization is waging against this organized criminal activity,” the NGO stated in a press release.

The 12th International Fair EXPOCARIBE 2003 came to a close at the Heredia Convention Center in Santiago de Cuba following successful working sessions among local and foreign companies representing some 30 countries.

Most trade exchanges evolved into sale and purchase agreements for a number of items, as well as the signing of letters of intention for future contracts. Aruba, Trinidad & Tobago, Holland, Venezuela, Germany, Spain and Italy were the major participants that inked agreements with their Cuban counterparts.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has established a Working Group from among its membership to work with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) in planning for the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

It comprises representatives from CTO, the Caribbean Hotel Association, the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association, the airlines, the travel agencies, CTO Chapters and some twelve cricket playing CTO member countries, CTO chairman Obie Wilchcombe has said.

With an outstanding representation from Trinidad & Tobago and a marked emphasis on congress, convention and incentive tourism –alongside the promotion of other expanding categories such as cultural, sport and ecological tourism- the Seventh Caribbean Tourism Marketplace came to a close in the Dominican Republic.

From May 21 to 23 at the Jaragua Hotel in the Dominican capital, the seventh edition of the BTC panned out to be a multidisciplinary conference brimming with revolutionary ideas that helped shape creative patterns in an effort to shore up this industry.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism are preparing to welcome over 1,000 delegates to the 26th Annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-26) and Ministerial business meetings, taking place Oct. 13-18, 2003 at the Marriott Frenchman’s Reef in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Challenges facing Caribbean human resource professionals and creative strategies to address these challenges will be among the subjects of discussion at the fourth Annual Caribbean Tourism Educators’ Forum, which will take place in Grenada from July 7-9, 2003.

Delegates attending the three-day intensive workshop will also explore recent developments in tourism education and training and how these will influence the delivery of tourism/hospitality programmes being offered throughout the region.