Cuba expects its economic growth to slip down a gear this year to around 10 percent but remain among the strongest in the region, a senior government official said last week.

With a 140 million euros bid the low cost carrier Air Berlin acquired the German charter carrier LTU as an effort to expand its network in both the internal market of Germany and in the long-haul market. Along with the 100 percent capital stock of LTU, Air Berlin has taken over the debt of the charter carrier that reaches the 190 to 200 million euros.

GOL, Brazil’s low-cost airline, has agreed with VarigLog and Volo, the controlling shareholders of VRG Linhas Aereas S.A. (Varig), to acquire the total share capital of the air carrier.

TUI AG and First Choice Holidays have agreed to merge the tourism division of TUI AG, minus certain hotel assets, with First Choice Holidays into a new leisure travel group called TUI Travel.

The collapse of Brazil’s flag carrier Varig last year caused a significant fall in the number of foreign tourists visiting Brazil in 2006 revealed a top official from the Ministry of Tourism in Rio do Janeiro.

Carnival Corporation & plc reported net income of $283 million, or $0.35 diluted EPS, on revenues of $2.69 billion for its first quarter ended February 28. Net income for the first quarter of 2006 was $251 million, or $0.31 diluted EPS, on revenues of $2.46 billion.