Berlin._ New York City presented itself at the Berlin Tourism Exchange (ITB) as a burg now recovering its strength and attractiveness after the 9-11 syndrome, clearly reflected in a 15% plunge in the number of visitors during the year 2001. According to some statistics disclosed at the ITB by the New York Desk of Conventions, Visitors, Great Events and Promotions, “tourism is pulling around a whole lot faster than expected.”

Santo Domingo._ Governor of the Central Bank Frank Guerrero Prats said at the American Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon that the Dominican economy has grown 5% in the first two months of the year. He attributed the growth to the recovery of the manufacturing sector, as reported in El Caribe newspaper. Mr. Guerrero forecasted that the year´s end growth for 2002 is estimated to be 4%, so the economy is right on target.

Caracas._ As the Euro has become Europe’s currency for the 21st century, France’s overseas territories in the Caribbean –like Guadeloupe and St. Martin- and Dutch-owned Aruba, Curazao, Bonaire and St. Marteen, have also become exclusive circulation areas for the newly-come Euro. In this sense, travelers moving to these islands must scrap the old habit of buying Dutch florins and French francs for tourism purposes and purchase the European unified currency, instead.

Tegucigalpa._ Honduras is on a quest to garner $650 million through tourism in the next four years and buttress this activity as a fast-growing industry, said Minister of Tourism Thierrie de Pierrefeu. Mr. Pierrefeu added that the projected goal is to upend the $256 million worth of revenues in 2001 and reach $650 million in the year 2005.

Rio de Janeiro._ Varig is Latin America’s largest airline and it counts today on a fleet of 93 aircraft averaging 435 flights a day and carrying over 11 million passengers to 18 different countries every year. The company, founded on May 7, 1927 in Porto Alegre, is an enterprise from the Ruben Berta Foundation. In conjunction with Rio Sul & Nordeste –a group holding a 43% grip of the market- Varig operates Brazil’s largest and most complete line network covering 112 cities.

Santo Domingo._ Investments for up to $5,592,000 will be conducted by ten enterprises that recently got the green light to set up shop in some of the country’s industrial parks under previous authorization from the National Council of Exporting Free Trade Zones. Council Director Janet Dominguez explained that the new enterprises will generate 1,391 new jobs and revenues in hard currency for $7.2 million.