In the face of the current crisis tourism is going through in the northern state of Quintana Roo in the Mexican Caribbean –where hotel occupancy rate has hit a record low 38 percent- the state government has been granted a one-million-dollar bailout package by the Federation’s Tourism Promotion Council, Governor Joaquin Hendricks Diaz said in Chetumal.Mr. Hendricks recognized hotel occupancy rate has hit bedrock these days, a situation seen by hotelkeepers and other service providers here as a sign of “alarm and extreme emergency.”

Spanish group NH Hotels netted 61.2 million euros over the first nine months of the ongoing year for a 3.5% increase compared to the same period in 2001, sources from the hotel chain reported in a press release.Profits reached 653.8 million euros (17.5 percent more), while revenues before tax deduction, hedges and depreciation (EBITAD is the acronym in Spanish) peaked 153.8 million euros, 7 percent less than in the same span of time the year before.

Tourist facilities and stores in Puerto Vallarta –one of the landmark destinations in Mexico’s leisure industry- sustained few damages from hurricane Kenna that pounded the Mexican Pacific shoreline last Friday.President Vicente Fox and his wife Maria Sahagun visited the zone and noticed over 90 percent of commercial and tourist centers were fortunately left unscathed. Mr. Fox announced his administration will provide support through housing projects and the generation of part-time jobs in those areas hit by the hurricane.

French hotel group Accor, with possessions in 140 countries, wrapped up the first half of the ongoing year with a plummeting 1.3% in profits with $215 million, somewhat below the $224 million the company reaped in 2001, sources close to the enterprise reported.According to Accor, the slide is the result of the terrorist attacks occurred in the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, and of the growth slowdown in the world’s economy.

Jaime Cabal, chairman of the Colombian Hotel Association (COTELCO is the acronym in Spanish) presented the national government with a tourism bill and a plan aimed at beefing up the sector with a 20-million-dollar shot in the arm.During the guild’s yearly meeting held in Medellin, Mr. Cabal stated the country’s hotel front is convinced a new entrepreneurial legislation is required since the one currently in force is shortsighted and does not meet the association’s needs and expectations.

Economy - Development projectsKingston._ Counterpart International has been invited to take the lead in developing tourism, culture and environmental aspects of five Mundo Mayan nations of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, PositiveTourism.Com reported.