InterContinental Hotels Group has sold a portfolio of 24 hotels (4,903 rooms) to a subsidiary of Westbridge Hospitality Fund LP. Westbridge is a hospitality investment fund managed by Westmont Hospitality, one of IHGs largest franchisees. Proceeds to IHG in cash and debt assumption are $345.2 million (before transaction costs), with the balance of 6.8m relating to third party minority interests.

The Kuoni Group achieved a 3 percent year-on-year turnover increase in 2005, posting total turnover of CHF 3,688 million for the year. The result is attributable to Kuoni´s strong presence in growing markets such as India, China and Africa and to the broad geographical spread of the Group´s business activities, which enabled Kuoni to respond swiftly and flexibly to the more difficult market conditions in the regions affected by the Asian tsunami disaster of December 2004 and to reassign capacities to other vacation regions.

Given the mounting difficulties with Mercosur Uruguay is quietly considering different options for different scenarios including the possibility of abandoning the South American customs union, revealed the Uruguayan press in Montevideo. “For the current Uruguayan government, Mercosur is a strategic priority and we are looking forward to a larger and better Mercosur, not the one we have now plagued with difficulties. Uruguay wants a Mercosur that fairly contemplates all countries, no matter the asymmetries”, said Vazquez Wednesday in Caracas during a meeting with President Hugo Vázquez.

AeroRepublica, a subsidiary of Copa Holdings, S.A.A announced last week a fleet modernization and expansion plan that includes firm orders for five Embraer 190 aircraft, representing an investment of $ 175 million at list price. The order also includes options to buy 20 additional aircraft. AeroRepublica joins a select group of airlines that have acquired the Embraer 190 aircraft, equipped with state-of-the-art aviation navigation technology, directly from the manufacturer.

Barclays, the third-biggest British bank, said Monday that it has signed a letter of intent to sell its 43.7-percent stake in FirstCaribbean International Bank for about $1.08 billion to Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). CIBC owns already 43.7 percent of FirstCaribbean, which was formed in 2002 through the merger of the Caribbean businesses belonging to Barclays and CIBC. The remaining 12.6 percent of FirstCaribbean is publicly held.

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A. de C.V. (ASUR) today announced that total passenger traffic for the month of February 2006 decreased by 16.7 percent when compared to February 2005. All figures in this announcement reflect comparisons between the 28-day period February 1 through February 28, 2005 and 2006. Transit and general aviation passengers are excluded.