FITUR is coming back in January ready to put much heftier numbers on the board and strengthen its position as the world’s second-largest tourism fair, trailing behind just Berlin’s ITB. The international area will remain on the rise, especially exhibitors from Asia and Africa.

Mr. Rochi is pinning his hopes on the cohesion the seven Central American nations have forged to get together under one solid tourism brand in terms of international promotion and advertisement. He’s confident this group of countries will be able to work out current differences with Costa Rica, a nation that decided not to attend the latest edition of the Central America Travel Market held in Honduras.

by Jose Carlos de Santiago The Dominican Republic’s travel industry has put pretty good numbers on the board in the first three quarters of the ongoing year, with growth nearly in the double digits from 2005. The main efforts of this major Caribbean travel destination are now focused on raising the bar for the local tourism products and pouring far more money into the national infrastructure in a bid to branch out lodging on the one hand and clinching heftier revenues with cost-cutting policies on the other.

by Jose Carlos de Santiago Getting a bigger slice of the European market –especially from Spain- and closer ties for exchange and cooperation with Spanish hotel chains –they have emerged as big-time investors in the region over the past three years- continue to be pending topics in the joint agenda of CTO and CHA. However, Mr. Schreibmaeir says the Caribbean is looking to Europe and Spain like never before. And CHA will keep on going the extra mile with visits to those markets and putting far more faith in their investors.

by Jose Carlos de Santiago The Central America tourism project to both advertise and sell the region as solid travel destination is marching on to new heights. Even though the effort has hit a few bumps on the road as far as organization and target markets are concerned –let alone some tough moments like Costa Rica’s failure to attend the latest edition of the Central America Travel Market in Honduras- those differences are helping to strengthen and improve the entity, as well as to decide what areas should get the brunt of resources. This is what Honduran Tourism Minister had to say about these issues.

by Jose Carlos de Santiago Carlos Ricardo Benavides took office as Costa Rica tourism minister in May, and shortly after that he took oath as chairman of the Central America Tourism Council. Nobody could shed more light on the reasons that moved Costa Rica to skip the recently concluded edition of the Central America Travel Market in Honduras.