|
|
Brazil Showcases Allures in Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte and Rio de Janeiro to 100 German Travel Agents |  | Meier's in Brazil |
| With a view to diversify the travel options Brazil has to offer to European tourists, the country’s Tourism Ministry and EMBRATUR are taking a hundred travel agents from Meier’s Weltreisen, one of Germany’s largest travel agencies, on a grand tour around a bunch top travel destinations, including Bahia, Rio Grande do Norte and Rio de Janeiro. The initiative is equally sponsored by the Brazilian Association of Travel Operators (BRAZTOA is the Portuguese acronym). |
|
|
World Travel Industry to Meet Again at FITUR 2009 |  | Feria de Madrid will host FITUR 2009 |
| Three months away from the holding of the twenty-ninth edition of FITUR, which is held in Madrid from 28 January to 1 February 2009, it already has a high level of occupation. Regarding representation, the growth of some regions from the international area is especially outstanding, such as America, which has increased by 10 percent compared to figures from last year on the same date, or Asia where growth has reached 15 percent. |
|
 | UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli has condemned the series of deadly terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India’s commercial capital and largest city. |
| The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said it is appalled and saddened about the continuing violence in Mumbai. |
| The Dominica government has embarked on a program designed to improve the competitiveness of the tourism sector, which contributed over EC$160 million ($60.8 million) to the economy last year and created more than 2,500 direct jobs. |
| From January to September 2008, the amount of private money invested in tourism in Mexico totaled $4.3 billion, a 29.47 percent increase compared to the previous quarter. |
| The National Tour Association is spearheading a meeting of 30 travel and tourism organizations to discuss the economic crisis. The meeting will take place in Washington D.C., on Dec. 16. |
| British Airways is giving customers more comfort and privacy in its Club Europe cabin starting Feb. 23, 2009 by removing the use of the middle seat. This new configuration will offer those customers booked in the airline’s short-haul business class cabin a guaranteed window or aisle seat, with the middle seat free. |
| Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest airline, announced its summer schedule available for booking as of Nov. 4, 2008. Air Berlin will operate a nonstop service to Düsseldorf daily from New York, five flights weekly from Miami, four flights weekly from Fort Myers, three flights a week from Los Angeles and Vancouver as of May, 2009. |
 | The 16th Annual Barbados Jazz Festival will feature British folk singer and songwriter James Blunt. In addition to Blunt, this year’s event running from Jan. 12 to 18 will feature a wide range of both contemporary and classic jazz vocalists including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Harvey Mason, David Burnett, Angie Stone and the BCC Jazz Project, among others. Ticket prices start at $25 per person. |
 | YTB International eked out a $288,000 net profit in the third quarter of 2008, compared with $2.1 million in the year-ago third quarter. Third-quarter revenue was $42.9 million, up 7.5 percent from $39.9 million. Revenue from travel commissions and services was $8 million, up from $5.5 million. Total operating expenses rose 13 percent, from $37.7 million to $42.5 million. |
| Even in a highly unstable market, some foreign airlines continue to report profits. Air France-KLM reported second quarter revenues of 6.69 billion euros, up 3.2 percent; operating income of 405 million euros, despite a 35 percent rise in fuel costs; and net income of 244 million euros. |
| Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced plans to open three new hotels in Saudi Arabia. Starwood has signed a long-term management agreement with the Alhokair Group to open Four Points by Sheraton Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, Four Points by Sheraton Dhahran and Aloft Riyadh. |
| As of today, HH Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Saeed Al Nahayan, a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family, is the new chairman of Aquis Hotels & Resorts. This strategic action is expected to give a generous boost to the investment plans of the Greek hotel chain. |
|
 | Solis The Palmyra Resort & Spa, located in the enclave of Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica, is preparing to open its doors in March. The resort participated for the first time in this year’s World Travel Market event in London to introduce the new resort to the more than 50,000 travel professionals that attended. |
| Elite Island Resorts, an award-winning and green certified, Caribbean hotel group, announces the newest member of its luxury collection: Nelson Spring Beach Villas & Spa, Nevis. The charming Caribbean resort is located on 3.5 acres of glorious coconut-lined beachfront property. |
| Give your loved ones an intimate Christmas vacation at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, the Caribbean’s only historic plantation inn directly on the beach and ranked number one luxury Caribbean resort by TripAdvisor. Stay seven nights and Christmas is free. |
| Cruise companies have announced a range of large discounts, with some winter cruises cut to a third of their brochure prices. |
| Carnival Cruise Lines will increase capacity on its seasonal cruise program from New York in 2010 with the 2,978-passenger Carnival Glory scheduled to operate a variety of four- and five-day Atlantic Canada voyages from June to September, followed by five one-week fall foliage cruises. |
 | Hawaii’s 2009 visitor arrivals are expected to drop 1.9 percent, to 6.73 million, following a forecasted 10.1 percent fall in 2008, according to the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. |
| Sabre has introduced Attribute Based Shopping, a tool that enables travel agents and consumers shop for airfares that include only the add-on items they want. |
| Travelocity Business has announced an agreement with Radius that enhances the travel management company’s reach to more than 80 countries. Radius’ vast network of premier corporate agencies complements services provided by Travelocity Business personnel in Europe and North America today. |
| Nolitours and Transat Holidays have launched their air only sale. Sale is valid for bookings made by December 7, 2008 and features prices for $299 for departures January 1 to February 2, 2009 and $399 for departures February 3 to March 20, 2009. |
| The National Park Service has closed about one-third of lodging units at Yosemite National Park’s Curry Village because of rock fall peril, said the Associated Press on Friday. |
| |