The Travel Industry Association released its annual travel forecast, which said that while the travel industry will continue to face challenges through 2009 and in some segments through 2010, leisure travel will sustain the industry while business travel retrenches.

Norwegian Cruise Line announced that its current fuel supplement will no longer apply to bookings made on or after Nov. 10, 2008, for sailings that depart on or after Jan. 1, 2010. For guests booked prior to Nov. 10, 2008, for sailings that depart on or after Jan. 1, 2010, the company has established guidelines for the refund of fuel supplements already paid.

Four years after resigning from the post, the Tillman Thomas administration has re-appointed Richard Strachan as chairman of the board of directors of the Grenada Board of Tourism (GTB).

Host Agency Solutions (HAS) is now offering services and support to brick-and-mortar agencies in Canada. Agencies keep ownership of their store and brand while getting the cost benefits of outsourcing their back office operations. HAS is a member of the I.A.S. Independent Agency Services Corp. (IAS) group of companies.

&Beyond, which announced its name change from Conservation Corporation Africa (or CC Africa), and trumpeted a global expansion that will span three continents. &Beyond is taking its safari and responsible tourism model beyond Africa and India and into Central and South America.

Carnival Cruise Lines has named Jim Berra its senior vice president and chief marketing officer. In this newly created position, Berra will oversee all of the company’s advertising programs, marketing communications and public relations.