The natural attractions of the Caribbean island of Aruba are hyped in a special report put out by Spanish magazine Hola in its digital format. “Right in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, Aruba surprises travelers every step of the way for its wonderful beaches, its lavish nature, its small towns and tiny markets,” the report says.

Nicknamed The Happy Island, Aruba is a miniature paradise for those seeking the perfect getaway that combines exotic places with one of the finest tourist infrastructures all across the Caribbean Sea.

The dozen hotels perched on the archipelago of Jardines del Rey, a beach destination spotted on the northern keys off the Cuban province of Ciego de Avila, are boasting a whopping 95 percent occupancy rate. The circuit set recently a new record high for most visitors in one single day, said Luis Baez, marketing manager for the Tourism Ministry in that region.

The seaport and the city of Veracruz in the Gulf of Mexico were declared a Historic Monuments Zone by presidential decree, an addition that raises to ten the number of historic sites protected by President Vicente Fox’s administration.

The decree bestows the selected site with all the protection the Mexican rule of law can provide in this case by adding the place to the list of assets protected by the Federal Act of Monuments and Archeological, Artistic and Historic Zones.

The need for more plans to prevent the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the tourist sector worldwide, was one of the claims voiced in an international conference recently held in the Dominican Republic with the attendance of experts from several countries.

The Dominican Republic, one of the heavyweight travel destinations in the Caribbean, ought to step up its own HIV/AIDS prevention programs, said Ernesto Guerrero, an advisor with the United Nations Program for Santo Domingo.

Guatemalan airline Tikal and Spain´s Jet-Air Europa signed a cooperation agreement beginning May 1 in an effort to add a couple of weekly flights to the Cuban capital and two other services to Mexico´s Cancun for a total of four flights a week to and from Madrid.

In virtue of the agreement, both companies will coordinate their operations with a view to set up an air connection between Madrid and Guatemala City through flights to Cancun and Havana.

Jose Maria Garcia Casabal took over as manager of Customer Service and Operations for Latin America’s Southern Cone of Amadeus, the global digital service provider. Mr. Casabal replaces Federico Fisher who was promoted to general manager of Peru Amadeus.