The 13th edition of the Expocaribe Fair, Cuba´s second-largest trade show, will unfold from June 19 to 24 at its traditional venue: the Heredia Conference Center in Santiago de Cuba. Meetings between Cuban enterprise representatives and CARICOM member states, aimed at fostering commercial ties among the region´s countries, are regarded as the pinnacle of Expocaribe 2005´s agenda.

The Organizing Committee of the International Ecuadorian Tourism Fair (FITE 2005) has just wrapped up the third preparatory meeting to tie up possible loose ends as far as organization, logistics and attendance are concerned. The fair will take place in Guayaquil from September 22 to 25. According to a press release sent to Caribbean News Digital´s editorial staff, current preparations are covering all expectations in terms of attendance and potential results. Planners hope to welcome record highs of buyers, professionals, news media, lecturers, folkloric performers, photographers and other participants.

The Yechana Lodge Hotel in the Ecuadorian province of Napo and the country´s Tourism Ministry received top honors in the categories of sustainable tourism and best exposition, respectively, during the recently concluded International Tourism Fair in Berlin. The ITB jury recognized the Yachana Lodge Hotel -yachana means a place to learn in Quichua language- for fostering interaction between guests and the surrounding environment. The establishment is perched on a mountain community along the Napo River banks and is run by the Comprehensive Education and Development Foundation.

The Florida-Dominican Business Development Group (FDBDG) will hold the First Dominican Fair on Tourism, Investment and Real Estate in an effort to increase business ties and further tourist investments. FDBDG President Pablo Diaz Ballester informed the event will take place on April 22 and 23 at a hotel in the city of Miami in order to promote tourism, banking, finances and real estate investments toward the Caribbean nation.

Brazil took advantage of this year’s International Tourism Fair in Berlin to promote its new tourist trademark, a motley logo that carries the blue of the sea, the yellow of the sun disc and beaches, the green of the forests and jungles, the white of its religious syncretism, and the red of the popular festivities. Tourism Minister Walfrido dos Mares Guia, who headed his country’s delegation to ITB 2005 in Germany, told news media there Brazil hopes to snare 5.8 million foreign visitors this year, up 20 percent from 2004. In the case of domestic travelers, that figure could rise to 8 million vacationers in 2005 .

Different brands of beer and coffee made in Cuba were some of the products the island nation presented at the International Food & Beverage Fair (IFE) held in London last week. Most presentations were made by foreign companies from Great Britain, Ireland and France that have joint ventures with Cuban enterprises and sell Cuban items in the U.K. and all across Europe.