The International Federation of PGA Tours has announced that the Caribbean Island of Barbados will host the 2006 World Golf Championships & World Cup. The Country Club Course at the Sandy Lane Resort in St. James, Barbados will serve as the host competitive venue for this global championship. A total of two dozen nations, including the host country, will participate in this prestigious event, which will be known as the World Golf Championships - Barbados World Cup, from December 4 to 10, 2006, with a minimum purse of $4,000,000.

This year, for the first time ever, spectators now have a chance to take part in Carnival by joining the season´s highlight, the Grand Parade. During Curacao´s 2006 Carnival season, which opens January 6 and continues through February 28, vacationers will enjoy special hotel packages, parades, floats, and one of the most lively and flamboyant celebrations in the Caribbean.

The Monte Carlo Travel Market (MCTM) has announced two major partners for its 2006 edition to maximize the trade and public parts of the event. Leading Hotels of the World has selected for MCTM 2006 the best travel agencies operating in Europe. The Groupe Nice Matin, the largest press corps in the region, is providing MCTM 2006 with an unprecedented communication campaign.

The 13th edition of MITT, scheduled to take place from March 22 to 25 at the Moscow Expo Center, is exceeding all sales expectations. The leading travel and tourism event on the Russian market, MITT 2006, is experiencing a surge in interest. The event is poised for new levels of success with many established exhibitors increasing their space as well as new companies and destinations coming on board.

Preparations are underway for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) slated from January 13 to 21, 2006, local newspaper SunStar reported. Organized by the Philippine Department of Tourism-Office of Tourism Standards, a four-day seminar for liaison officers was held last week at the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) “to take a crack on protocols, social graces, culture, and security.”

Multiple Grammy-award winning singer James Ingram will play the Air Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival on January 28, 2006. Mr. Ingram said that playing to the audience in Jamaica is an “honor” and gives him a sense of coming “back home.” Especially, he said, since he hasn´t been back since playing in Kingston five years ago. “I´ll be singing my heart out,” added the multi- talented musician, with smash hits like Just Once, Baby Come To Me, One Hundred Ways and I Don´t Have The Heart.