Representatives of Cuban tourism companies and experts from several medicine fields showed off in Guatemala all the potentials the island nation has to offer and the role they play in health tourism. A group of seven Cuban physicians specialized in oncology, ophthalmology, geriatrics, psychiatry, internal medicine, pediatrics and anesthesiology attended the Third Medical and Tourism Meeting between Cuba and Central America that was sponsored by Guatemala-based DATA Group.

Several U.S. institutions and the Costa Rican government have set going a joint program aimed at exposing and combating sexual exploitation of children by American tourists. "This particular form of exploitation affects some two million children worldwide, many of them below five years of age," sighed off John Wilkinson, Vice President of World Vision, one of the organizations that have signed up for the campaign alongside the U.S. State and Homeland Security departments.

Aeromexico has just bought ten Boeing 737-300 New Generation jetliners for $500 million as part of a program aimed at streamlining its own fleet. The Mexican air company hopes to receive the aircraft between July and December next year. The latest request rounds up a first purchase made in 2003 with that same U.S. firm that included fifteen B737 planes.

Villa El Yarey, in Granma province, is one of the region´s new options for tourism in eastern Cuba. The 14-room establishment is located on the hill of the same name, and has signed business deals with British tour operators to receive vacationers from the UK. Until December, Villa El Yarey is expected to receive 200 guests, but the number of vacationers will increase to 500 until May, when the first contract will conclude.

Nicaragua hopes to carry out at least nine hotel projects in different parts of the country from now to the early 2005, the Nicaraguan Tourism Institute informed this week. This investment effort will be in the neighborhood of $80 million, with a considerable chunk of the money ($50 million in all) going into the construction of tourist compounds run by Marriott Hotels along the Pacific coast, not far from Villa El Carmen.

James Sarvis took over as Delta Airlines’ new director for Latin America and the Caribbean. Mr. Sarvis was stationed at the Atlanta airport as chief of International Services for that same American carrier, sitting in for Jorge Fernandez. Mr. Fernandez, for his part, was promoted to Vice President of International Alliances last October 4.