Developing Haiti’s nascent tourism sector will be a slow, gradual climb, but the country took a step forward this week with the launch of a new program to train tour guides in the country. The initiative, launched by the Hotel School in Haiti, will provide training for guides, travel agents, tour operators, event coordinators and real estate agents.

Thomas Cook said it is laying off employees and closing some travel agency offices in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It said it has entered a 90-day “consultation process” with a number of its U.K. employees to transform its operations.

From the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced plans to open 50 new hotels in Europe over the next five years, increasing its European hotel portfolio by 30 percent.