With an entourage of representatives from different travel companies and institutions, Cuba took part in the Shanghai 2004 International Tourism Fair that came to a close last week.
The Cuban delegation, that brought along a slogan reading "Cuba: A Multi-Destination In Itself," was headed by the island nation´s Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz.
This year the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau has confirmed a total of 554 overall group bookings for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2004. Securing 231,400 in room night bookings, thus representing a 4.4 percent increase in overall room nights over the prior year’s figures.
This overall production represents a potential economic impact of approximately U.S. $81MM to the Island’s economy. Part of this production was induced by a major boost in the sports marketing and sales efforts for which the Bureau produced 16,593 room night bookings. The sports market production represents an economic impact of approximately U.S. $5.8 million.
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute will hold a fair on community rural tourism in early December with a view to foster the advance of that particular activity as a model of sustainable development in the country and across Central America.
The fair will take place from December 3 to 5 on the premises of the National Biodiversity Institute as an alternative for tourists willing to see the country´s rural areas, learn about the traditions and customs of its residents, and share with members of local communities.
The beautiful village of Vista Hermosa, in Mexico’s Tabasco, played host to the First International Congress on Rural Tourism that took place on November 29 and 30 with the support of governmental institutions involved in this matter.
The event featured a number of round tables, expositions, tours to ranches, lectures, conferences and gourmet functions.
Representatives of children advocacy groups from Central America and Mexico gathered in Panama City to propose legal reforms in the struggle against the abuse, smuggling and sexual exploitation of children and teenagers.
Nils Katsberg, director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for Latin America and the Caribbean, said the meeting’s goal was to find some common ground for local policies implemented in the region to foil sex tourism.
The Congress of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), that took place in Turkey’s Istanbul this year, bestowed its annual Innovation for Better Environmental Protection Policy Award on the Aruba & Bucuti Beach Resort in a presentation ceremony held at the Conrad International Hotel in the Turkish capital.
The distinction was created by American Express in association with the United Nations Environmental Protection Program, Green Globe 21 and Shell LPG in an effort to both recognize and praise leading environmental management within the hospitality industry.