Delta Vacations is currently offering great values on packages for those traveling from Atlanta. All packages listed below are for roundtrip coach class air travel from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

With news of ongoing violence near the U.S. border towns of Mexico as well Cancun, the Mexico Tourism Board was prompted to put out a release declaring the country safe. The Board posted seven frequently asked questions on the issue, along with responses. According to the release, “Mexico is the 10th most visited tourist destination in the world and is a very large country with many safe destinations to visit and enjoy. The violence associated with drug trafficking is isolated in cities that are far away from tourism destinations. We suggest using common precautions as when traveling to any foreign country.” The release goes on to urge travelers that, while there are unsafe cities in Mexico, the entire country should not be found guilty by association. “The recent incidents involving drug traffickers have prompted U.S. and Canadian authorities to suggest travelers exercise extra caution when visiting certain border towns,” according to the statement. “It is important to note, however, that this temporary announcement does not advise travelers against visiting the many safe tourist destinations.”

Crystal Cruises has added the just-opened Atlantis, The Palm Hotel & Resort on the Jumeirah Palm Island in Dubai to its 2009 roster of hotel partners. The optional Crystal Adventures “Classic-Plus” Hotel Program is available following Crystal Symphony’s May 1 Singapore-Dubai cruise, or before the May 17 Dubai-Athens voyage.

The Mantis Collection, a group of five-star hotels, townhouses and game reserves in South Africa and Europe, has added the Grande Roche Estate to its portfolio.

The Dominican Republic, the second-largest Caribbean nation, experienced a slight visitor increase in 2008 despite the international economic slowdown. According to a recent report issued by the DR Ministry of Tourism, arrivals increased slightly in 2008 with over 3.4 million guests choosing the DR as their vacation destination. This is a 1.45 percent increase compared to the same period in 2007.

The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State (DOS) have announced that their efforts have enabled the departments to jointly certify to Congress that all statutory criteria have been met prior to implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) at land and sea borders on June 1.