Ministers from 9 major tourism generating and receiving countries, government officials, the heads of the two principal worldwide tourism organizations, and the presidents and/or CEOs of 8 of the biggest tourism groups and companies in the world will participate as speakers, along with prominent Spanish businessmen of the sector, leading figures in finance and renowned economists.

Ministers from 9 major tourism generating and receiving countries, government officials, the heads of the two principal worldwide tourism organizations, and the presidents and/or CEOs of 8 of the biggest tourism groups and companies in the world will participate as speakers, along with prominent Spanish businessmen of the sector, leading figures in finance and renowned economists.

The U.S. Department of Commerce released its 2009-2013 travel forecast, which predicts the United States will welcome 63 million international visitors in 2013, an increase of 9 percent from record-setting visits in 2008. However, reflective of the global economic downturn, international visitation is projected to decline 8 percent between 2008 and 2009 to 53 million visitors.

The U.S. online leisure/unmanaged business travel market is significantly outperforming every other distribution channel in 2009, according to PhoCusWright, a travel industry research company.

The U.S. online leisure/unmanaged business travel market is significantly outperforming every other distribution channel in 2009, according to PhoCusWright, a travel industry research company.

The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) has provided its members with the 2010 U.S. Business Travel Buyers’ Cost Forecast. This latest installment of the widely respected annual tool for the U.S. corporate travel industry forecasts that average airfares this year are $299 and stay roughly the same for 2010, ranging from 2 percent below to 3 percent above this year’s fares.