Of the three million visitors to Dominican Republic last year, 1.2 million were Europeans, a figure higher than Cuba and the Mexican Caribbean, and confirms France as the top outbound market.

From tiny eco-resorts to new megaresorts and cruise-ship ports, the six Spanish-speaking nations of Central America are investing heavily to bring tourists and their dollars to the region.

The Dominican Republic received a $30 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to promote tourism in the historic Colonial Zone of the capital city of Santo Domingo.

The US tourism team has set its sights on the Caribbean tourist and is working on getting our regional neighbors to try the Antigua & Barbuda’s tourism product. Director of Tourism in the United States Derede Samuel Whitlock said her team’s business plan for 2011 included devising a strategy to lure them visitors.

The federal Government and the Honorable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, announced Canada’s inaugural Federal Tourism Strategy. “Hoteliers across Canada congratulate and endorse the new Federal Tourism Strategy,” said Tony Pollard, President of the Hotel Association of Canada. “This is a momentous and historic occasion for tourism development in Canada.”

The Costa Rica Tourism Board launched its new advertising campaign in the United States and Canada, set to inspire visitors to explore the country’s variety of offerings. From now to Feb. 5, 2012, the campaign, titled “Costa Rica's Million Dollar Gift of Happiness,” seeks to gift $1 million worth of week-long Costa Rican vacations to people in the United States and Canada.