Trinidad will inject 10 million dollars into BWIA and exchange 30 million dollars in debt for equity in the latest bailout of the airline, and it will also provide Eastern Caribbean $6.3 million dollars in loans to Caribbean governments that hold shares in LIAT airline to assist that cash-strapped carrier.

The debt-for-equity swap could result in Trinidad´s government increasing its 33.5 percent share in BWIA. The government will ask private shareholders to participate in exchanging debt for shares, but may do it alone if they refuse, Trade and Industry Minister Ken Valley said.

Panama’s leisure industry generated $805 million worth of revenues in 2003, up an eye-popping 126 percent gain from 2002, the Panamanian Tourism Institute (IPAT) informed today.

Mexico’s Department of Communications and Transportation (DCT) has plans to pour $9.9 billion into infrastructure development, especially in roads, seaports, railroads, airports and tourism, explained Jose Juan Martin Romero, director-general of the Project Planning and Assessment Division for the DCT.

In the course of last year, the Argentinean travel industry panned out to be the country’s third-largest hard currency maker, chiefly driven by record highs in the number of foreign trippers.

According to official stats, the cash flow raked in by the leisure industry in 2003 was second only to the sales of soybean flour and fuel oil, but it did beat soybean oil and flakes, metals, manufactures and beef to a frazzle.

Passenger traffic aboard struggling network U.S. airlines is expected to grow this year for the first time since 2000, according to recently released government data. According to Reuters, the projection was included in the Federal Aviation Administration´s annual industry forecast that estimated growth in 2004 of more than 4% to 686 million passengers, for all flights aboard U.S. carriers.

This includes the biggest airlines and their regional affiliates as well as low-cost carriers.

Travelocity said Travelocity Europe, its joint venture with Otto Freizeit und Touristik (OFT), agreed to purchase Travelchannel Ltd., a firm that operates a German online travel site, Travelchannel.de, says Travel Weekly. Michelle Peluso, president and CEO of Travelocity, said the company´s expansion in Europe is a "high priority for us and the acquisition of Travelchannel.de will play a key role in accelerating our growth in Germany and beyond."