With a view to underline the recognition and importance of the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), the World Tourism Organization is planning a new World Conference for the year 2005 to explain the usefulness of this body.

Spain´s Air Madrid will soon start covering the Madrid-Cartagena route beginning in May. At the onset, the airline will fly twice a week using A-300 aircraft seating up to 150 passengers each.

The new air carrier will home in its operations on the Caribbean and South America, two markets that rival Iberia is likewise focusing on as part of its international expansion strategy, with special interest in the Dominican Republic and Mexico´s Cancun.

A merger made up of Panama´s Copa Airways and U.S. Continental Airlines is putting together a buyout bid for Avianca, Colombia´s premier air carrier. The announcement is already putting a few frowns on what many experts believe it´s going to be a dog-eat-dog competition among several rival companies willing to purchase the bankrupt Colombian airline.

Last week, Brazilian company Sinergy -owned by oil tycoon German Efromovich- made a $64 million bid to buy three quarters of Avianca´s shares together with the Colombian airline´s debt of some $300 million.

Expo Hotels & Resorts has welcomed Ricardo Page aboard as new general manager of the Princess Sofia Hotel in Barcelona. In his new post, Mr. Page will tap into the lodging´s superb facilities with a view to put it on the map as a top choice for meetings, incentives and congresses.

Mexicana de Aviacion will soon make flights from Mexico City to the international airport of world-class Varadero Beach, Cuba´s premier sun-and-sand destination in the province of Matanzas.

Major travel agencies specialized in long-haul trips indicated no cancellations for Holy Week have been reported despite the March 11 terrorist attacks in Madrid.