Ask the avid golfer what makes the Dominican Republic (DR), with its 21 courses, the premier destination for the sport and they will likely say it´s the designers. No other Caribbean country features the caliber of internationally recognized golf course architects. And the list is growing. By the end of 2006, DR´s golf trail will include: Pete Dye, P.B. Dye, Nick Faldo, Jim Fazio, Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Nick Price and Robert Trent Jones.

The convention center that became a squalid evacuation shelter in the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina reopened last week on time for the city´s first major Mardi Gras parades roll, quite an encouraging sign for New Orleans´ tourism industry. The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will host a four-day gift and jewelry show that has been held in New Orleans for 54 years. It is expected to draw 500 exhibitors and about 15,000 buyers.

A bill to prohibit Washington state´s travel agencies from promoting travel for sex tourism purposes was approved 47-0 on the Senate floor Feb. 13 and now moves to the House. The proposal makes it a felony to “promote travel for prostitution” and states that the seller is committing the felony if he or she “knowingly” sells or offers to sell services that include travel for the purpose of prostitution or if they provide or purport to provide access to sex escorts or sexual services.

A bill to prohibit Washington state´s travel agencies from promoting travel for sex tourism purposes was approved 47-0 on the Senate floor Feb. 13 and now moves to the House. The proposal makes it a felony to “promote travel for prostitution” and states that the seller is committing the felony if he or she “knowingly” sells or offers to sell services that include travel for the purpose of prostitution or if they provide or purport to provide access to sex escorts or sexual services.

JetBlue Airways has been named best US domestic airline for value by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine, as part of their 2006 World´s Best Values Awards survey. “We are honored to be recognized by the readers of Travel + Leisure,” said David Neeleman, JetBlue CEO. “To be singled out by these savvy and experienced travelers is one of the greatest accomplishments since starting our airline six years ago. We are constantly finding ways to make the JetBlue Experience even better, starting as always with sincere customer service. On behalf of the nearly 10,000 JetBlue crewmembers, thank you, and we look forward to welcoming you onboard.”

At every turn in the past two months, Royal Caribbean International has found itself fighting round after round of accusations and aggressive press coverage about disappearing passengers and shipboard crime. And if lawyers and lawmakers have their way, public attention to those issues is likely to increase in the coming months. Appearing on national television, Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean´s CEO, has disputed accusations that the company was insensitive and negligent in its actions following the suspicious disappearance last summer of Connecticut honeymooner George Smith.