Jose Maria Agarrista knows all the ropes about the Caribbean and Central America, especially when it comes to hotels and tourism. As a matter of fact, he’s been working in those two sectors most of his life. Right now, he’s dealing with the promotion and representation of Mexico’s Mayan Riviera in Europe, working hand in hand with tour operators and travel agencies, as well as attending all major travel fairs held in the Old World.

Spanish hotel chain Maioris International will ante up a quarter of a million dollars into a first deluxe community project within the megabuck development underway in Cancun Port. This project includes the Maioris Tower with an initial investment of $45 million.

Mexico’s Tourism Promotion Office in Spain has pieced together a staff of young talented professionals that went the extra mile in 2006 in an effort to turn Mexico into a more “visible travel destination” in that major outbound market. Luring visitors to a charming and vast country like Mexico is another top-priority goal for this office.

Copa Airlines’ headway is up to par with the current advance of the Central American travel industry. The company has set up a hub in Panama’s Tocumen Airport to reach out to the Caribbean, North America, Mexico, South America and the rest of Central America. Another major hub for flights among Central American nations is in Honduras.

by Jose Carlos de Santiago Iberia has taken Latin America to heart. The airline’s immediate development strategy for the region calls for a shot at doubling many existing flights, beef up others and continue its far-reaching expansion in the U.S., a country where the Spanish air carrier holds a good deal of untapped opportunities with 40 million Spanish-speaking residents. Right now, the company is revamping its fleet with new jetliners for both long-haul and short-haul routes. This is the first step up toward a future growth.

by Jose Carlos de Santiago The Brazilian Travel Agencies Association (ABAV is the Portuguese acronym) attended once again the World Travel Market in London in a bid to promote the upcoming Fair of the Americas, one of Latin America’s oldest and most prestigious tourism events.