The Travel Registry, in cooperation with the World Tourism Organization, has affirmed a priority right to the nations of the world to register their respective country, cities, and place names in the Travel Registry. Each country and city destination, as well as UNESCO Word Heritage Sites, will now be able to register their valuable place names in the Travel Registry, which will commence registrations in the fall of 2005.

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) has estimated the damage caused by Hurricane Dennis at just under $2 billion, Minister of Information Senator Burchell Whiteman told yesterday´s post-cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House. Mr. Whiteman said that the figure was contained in a statement of assessment on Hurricane Dennis sent by the PIOJ to Prime Minister P. J. Patterson.

Hurricane Emily slammed into Mexico´s Yucatan Peninsula early Monday as a powerful Category 4 storm, snapping concrete utility poles with its winds of 135 mph and punishing waves along the region´s famous white-sand beaches. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Emily made landfall near Tulum, 100 miles south of Cancun. The northern eye wall, where the worst weather would be expected passed directly over Cozumel, it said.

Thousands of British tourists were evacuated from beachside hotels as Mexico´s Caribbean coast was battered by Hurricane Emily. Sunbathers at the popular resorts of Cancun, Playa Car and Cozumel island were moved to temporary shelters.

Hurricanes currently beating down on several Caribbean countries are a major concern to the Organization of American States Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza said the OAS has already begun consultations with the mechanisms of the inter-American system and with other key international bodies to determine what assistance can be rendered.

Caribbean Sun and Caribbean Star Airlines, two regional commuter airlines, are redoubling their commitment to working with regional media operatives to help the region and its people. Speaking in the aftermath of Counterpart International´s Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism meeting (CMExPress), the airlines´ president Yolanda Suarez said her organization is already responding to the call made by Wesley Gibbings, President of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), for greater collaboration between media, officials and Caribbean tourism representatives.