As part of a joint publicity strategy wielded by Guatemala and Panama, both nations will attend the 25th edition of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2005) in Spain´s Madrid as active members of the colorful and rhythmic Caribbean delegation. Under the “Central America, So Small… So Big” trademark, countries in the region seek to lure more tourists to their travel destinations. The Guatemalan entourage is planning a seminar to tackle travelers´ viewpoints on a variety of issues.

An assorted agenda of international congresses and meetings will mark Cuba´s travel industry in 2005, a sector that´s increasingly putting its smart money on incentive travels and events. According to a press release issued by the Cuba Convention Bureau, twenty-something countries have confirmed their attendance to Pedagogy 2005, a conclave that will gather educators from around the world from January 31 to February 4 at the Havana International Conference Center.

The staging of the China-Caribbean Trade Forum and Trade Fair in Kingston, Jamaica, must be seen as an opportunity to foster economic development, suggested Christopher Denny, Regional Manager, Retail Banking Division at the National Commercial Bank (NCB). He is encouraging the private sector to get involved in the events for which the NCB has pledged its full support. The China-Caribbean Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum and Trade Fair are scheduled for February 2 to 5, 2005 and are co-hosted by the governments of Jamaica and the People´s Republic of China.

The 18th edition of the Norway International Tourism and Travel Trade Fair got underway Thursday with a record-breaking attendance of more than a thousand exhibitors from several countries. This tourism fair, known as Reiseliv 2005, is penciled in as the number-one event for tourism professionals operating in that Nordic nation.

The 2005 Caribbean Marketplace came to a close Tuesday and went down in the books as the biggest edition of all time. The fair marked its 25th birthday in Montego Bay with 41 square feet of exhibition space and a massive turnout of over 1,500 attendants. Berthia Parle, president of the Caribbean Hotel Association, said the Caribbean Marketplace –a tradeshow that has positively come apart at the seams as far as purposes and goals are concerned- took place for the first time ever in Jamaica back in 1980 in an ambience of “superb organization and great security, with the hospitality and the brisk pace of the Jamaican people.”

This year’s Beijing International Travel and Tourism Market (BITTM) is scheduled to take place at the NAEC, the fourth largest exhibition center in Beijing, from April 20-23, 2005. Being that the BITTM is China’s only outbound tourism exhibition; every exhibitor is guaranteed to meet Chinese outbound tour operators and travel agents eager to bring thousands of Chinese travelers to their countries and properties.