The Brazilian Tourism Ministry has just unveiled a new program of business opportunities for Portuguese entrepreneurs in an effort to back up investments, spur up job creation and rekindle the South American nation’s economy.

“Tourism is the number-one creator of jobs and a key player in boosting up the country’s economy,” said Debora Vainer Barenhoim, an international advisor to the Brazilian Tourism Ministry.

Spain is becoming an increasingly important place for Jamaica’s tourism. That’s how Paul E. Pennicook, the island nation’s tourism director-general put it in the wake of a recent visit to Madrid where he advertised his country’s leisure industry and signed a number of agreements with Spanish companies.

Mr. Pennicook said he’d like to see “a couple of European air carriers flying to Jamaica,” especially Iberia and Air France. However, he’ll be delighted to have the Spanish airline his government is currently negotiating with to eventually fly to Jamaica.

No one could accuse Air France of going for short-term gains by hooking up with KLM, an airline half its size. Shareholders in the French national carrier, 54% owned by its government, are paying 913 million dollars to acquire four-fifths of the Dutch carrier. Last year KLM lost 271 millions euros while Air France made pre-tax profits of 111 millions, reported The Economist.

Peru won back France’s support to restore an ancient Inca village in Choquequirao, an isolated archeological compound at over 3,000 meters high in the southern Andes.

In a symbolic gesture, Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo and French ambassador to Peru Jean Paul Angelier, set the refurbishment works in motion with the funds coming from a rescheduling of Peru’s foreign debt with Paris for 5 million euros ($5.7 million).

The Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic ruled a five percent tax on exports as an unconstitutional move as an increasing number of businesspeople –including Spanish hoteliers- was already blasting the initiative.

The Dominican Supreme Court of Justice considered Decree 727-03, issued on August 6, 2003 by the Executive Branch to levy new transitory taxes, as “not in conformity with the Constitution.”

The Panamanian Tourism Institute (IPAT) is projecting the arrival of some 215,000 cruise passengers to Panama during the recently opened cruise season, a turnout that could leave a grand total of $20 million for the country.