Kingston._ The environmental group at Beaches Royal Plantation “Earth Watch” is carrying out a massive reef clean up exercise (June 5 and June 8) in the Pineapple Area of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, in recognition of World Environment and World Oceans Day.

Madrid._ European company Festival Cruises is hoping to take as many as 37,500 passengers to the seven seas this year, a considerable increase from the 1,700 travelers transported by the megabuck firm in 1999, that this time up will churn out business benefits for 6 billion euros, including commissions of up to 37%, Santiago Labrador, Festival’s executive president for Spain, Portugal and Latin America said.

Bridgetown._ Four commercial jingles on radio stations advertising interregional pleasure trips are now hitting the airwaves in the 30 member states of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) as part of a campaign to spur regional tourism. The Caribbean itself is the region’s third source of visitors. Roughly 20% of interregional travel occurs between the summer months of July and August, when people embark on trips to attend festivals, sports events and to go shopping.

Bridgetown._ The Caribbean Tourism Staff and Personnel Council is bracing for the organization of a conference on this particular issue next year as part of its efforts to enhance the scope of its Annual Training Forum. The 3rd Annual Forum that took place at St. Lucia’s Bay Gardens Hotel last April 3 to 5, was attended by a record 53 tourism professors from 12 CTO member states.

Pan American Airways has announced non-stop flights from Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, beginning on May 30th, DR1.Com reported. Pan Am president Dave Fink made the announcement at the launching of the airline´s first flight from Grand Bahamas Island to Orlando Sanford. During the event he thanked President Hipolito Mejia and Minister of Tourism Rafael Subervi for their support in opening the Dominican routes.

Designers in the redevelopment of the 18-hole Frigate Bay Golf Course in St. Kitts have incorporated environmentally friendly components into the new course to be opened next December. For several months, Evans Construction has undertaken work on the new golf course. With just a few more months before the start of the next tourism season, optimism for a speedy completion is expressed by Mr Rudolph Morton, general manager of the Frigate Bay Development Corporation.