Spain´s biggest airline has just taken an extraordinary step in its unprecedented bid to both buttress and expand its role as the number-one communication means for European tourists interested in traveling to Central America aboard direct flights from Madrid to Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama, complemented by a codeshare agreement with TACA Airlines. In an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital, Silvia Cairo, head of Iberia´s International Sales Division, puts all these details in perspective.

The Puerto Vallarta Fishing Tournament, the most important sport and social event of this amazing Mexican travel destination, will come back this year with its 49th edition next November. In an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital, Raul Serna talks about the history of this event, its sweepstakes and participation ways.

Among the Central American countries that are taking steps to become a top-notch travel destination among European tourists, Nicaragua is one of the least known nations, a situation that authorities are trying to reverse by implementing a hands-on promotional and marketing campaign in the near future. As Nicaraguan Tourism Marketing & Promotion Chief explains in this exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital, her country is bending over backwards to paint a brighter picture.

Naval & Industrial set up shop in Cuba fourteen years ago with a view to provide full-fledged mechanical services to midsize and large vessels. This is how the company’s general agent, Amada Luisa Rios Alvarez, defines what Naval & Industrial is actually all about. In an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital within the framework of EXPOVARADERO 2004, Mrs. Alvarez said the sale of International Paint and Intersleek 700 –its top product- is high on the list of her firm’s goals. Other joint projects with Cuba are in full swing right now, including a partnership plan with Πmesco, the special mechanical group, and the upcoming opening in Varadero of a hardware store specialized in naval items and accessories.

Quintana Roo to Add 15,000 New Hotel Rooms The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, home to world-class Cancun, is making plans to enhance its stock of hotel rooms over the next five years with the addition of 15,000 new accommodations. The announcement was made by Eng. Dario Flota Ocampo, state undersecretary of tourism promotion, who also told Caribbean News Digital about some major investments for the state’s extra-hotel network that are currently underway. “Three years from now, we’ll have eleven new golf courses in addition to the seven courses that the state already has. That’s definitely going to give the destination a wider edge,” Mr. Ocampo pointed out.

Mexico Wants Tourism to Be its Fate of Choice Mexico´s Tourism Secretary Rodolfo Elizondo called on the local travel industry to be the destiny of the whole nation, as he officially opened the second edition of the World Tourism Exposition (WTE 2004). "We must join hands and be creative to make Mexico the destination of choice not only for foreign tourists, but also for investors," Mr. Elizondo pointed out. The high-ranking Mexican official praised the massive turnout to the Second World Tourism Exposition that this time around is gathering over 200 exhibitors from nearly two dozen countries. In Mr. Elizondo´s opinion, the WTE is destined to become one of the planet´s major travel tradeshows of its kind. "Mexico," he said, "is fostering the development of local and regional tourism because 86 percent of the industry´s revenues are generated by domestic travelers. For our country, tourism will be the lever we need to draw investment, to create new jobs and to bring progress to o