Bird flu could hit the Caribbean region as early as next year, according to a warning sounded by a government health official in Dominica. Dr. Paul Ricketts said that the H5N1 strain of avian flu, which has killed or forced the slaughter of millions of chickens and ducks across Asia since 2003 and has spread recently to Europe, Africa and the Middle East by migrating birds, could hit North America this year.

Sabre Travel Network has announced that Spirit Vacations packaged vacation inventory is now available to US agents through Sabre Vacations, Sabre´s web-based vacation package booking engine. The addition of Spirit Vacations enhances agents´ ability to find and book great vacation packages that satisfy their customers, thereby strengthening customer relationships and at the same time improving agency revenues, said Chris Kroeger, senior vice president, Sabre Travel Network, North America.

Corinthia Hotels International (CHI) named Ann J. Tillman as new Vice President, Sales & Marketing for North America. Ms. Tillman came to New York City in 1979 from her native England to start her own company, Executive Room Service, a service for corporate business travelers offering free independent worldwide hotel booking service geared towards travel departments.

Airlines in the eastern Caribbean might soon increase their services to the U.S., thanks to a Federal Aviation Administration decision that has removed decade-long restrictions on their service to the country. The FAA elevated the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority to Category 1 status from Category 2 status, which means the FAA determined the ECCAA meets international standards for safety oversight.

Bleaching from record hot water followed by disease has killed ancient and delicate coral in the biggest loss of reefs scientists have ever seen in Caribbean waters. Researchers from around the globe are scrambling to figure out the extent of the loss. Early conservative estimates from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands find that about one-third of the coral in official monitoring sites has recently died.

Brazilian officials are talking with the Walt Disney Co. about a deal that would bring the entertainment company´s first theme park in Latin America to Brasilia, the press reported Thursday. The Federal District´s government has put a proposal on the table for Disney executives, who “have responded positively” in early discussions, the Journal de Brasilia newspaper said.