The 18th Inter American Tourism Congress will get cracking from June 18 to 20 under the sponsorship of the Organization of American States (OAS), said Ester Brol, a spokesperson for the Guatemalan Tourism Institute (INGUAT).
Planners expect a huge turnout with delegations headed by hemispheric tourism ministers and OAS representatives to each and every of the region’s 34 nations belonging to that organization. The private sector and European representatives are also supposed to attend the conclave.
Companies from six countries were here for the 15th International Hall on Technology, Products and Services for the Tourist Industry (TECNOTUR 2003) that came to a close Thursday in Havana.
Sponsored by Cuba’s ministries of tourism and foreign trade, the Chamber of Commerce and the International Conference Center, the meeting gathered producers, providers and investors linked to the realm of tourism.
Mexico, one of the world’s top tourist destinations, is equally becoming a major congress and convention planner in a market segment that’s leapfrogging everywhere under the sun and is destined to get a big boost in the Mexican market following the drop of the Additional Value Tax (AVT) beginning in 2004.
The Mexican Congress passed an amendment to provision 29 of the country’s Additional Value Tax Act scheduled to go into full effect in 2004 with a zero AVT rate on all congress, conventions, fairs and tradeshows to be held in the nation.
The Cuban tourist destination of Jardines del Rey, off the northern waters of the central province of Ciego de Avila, will host this June the Coco Fest, one of the events planned to mark the tenth anniversary of tourism’s arrival in the keys.
Hotels, airlines and other Panamanian transportation companies are welcoming the upcoming Miss Universe beauty contest scheduled for June 3 because, in their view, it could help boost the destination and jack up the number of travelers visiting the country for the world-class event.
The sale of travel packages linked to the pageant is on the rise, execs from such Panama-based companies as Panama Star Tours, Fantasy Tours and Gamboa Tours reportedly told Financial Capital, a Panamanian weekly publication.
Fruitful exchanges and the indispensable firsthand look at technological breakthroughs for the tourist industry will be two top priorities for the upcoming 15th International Halls on Tourism Technology, Products and Services (TECNOTUR 2003) to be held at Havana’s PABEXPO Fairgrounds from May 27 to 30.
The chief sectors represented at the event are foodstuffs, agriculture, computers, communications, hotel design and building, consulting, kitchen equipment, audio and video technology, refrigeration, freezing technology and laundry.