Choice Hotels International is expanding its Ascend Collection hotel membership program to include independent hotels throughout the Caribbean region. Ascend Collection has an aggressive growth plan of adding approximately two strategically selected Caribbean properties per island to its growing portfolio within the next couple of years.

Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club, located in Puerto Plata on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, named Manny Slomovits as executive chef.

Wyndham Hotel Group, with more than 7,000 hotels under 11 brands, will expand its Ramada hotel chain with the opening the brand’s first hotel in Russia -- the 156-room Ramada Yekaterinburg.

Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. said that the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York has confirmed the company’s Plan of Reorganization. The company successfully resolved the few objections to its Plan of Reorganization, resulting in an uncontested confirmation hearing.

The island of Tobago is gearing up to host the 23rd Annual International Cycling Classic. The five-day / five-stage event will be held from September 30 to October 4, 2009 and features world-class athletes including the return of last year’s champion, Heath Blackgrove of New Zealand, Team Saxony from Germany, the Austrian National Team and Team Aerocat from the United States.

Azamara Cruises has tapped Bert Van Middendorp to serve in the new role of Associate Vice President of Hotel Operations. Van Middendorp brings extensive experience in customer service, quality assurance and cost management in the boutique sector of the business, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations and Quality Assurance for luxury operator Seadream Yacht Club.