Budget Travel: Latin America's Most Unusual Hotels

May 27, 2012 | by Julie Schwietert Collazo

Some travelers crave the familiar comforts of chain hotels, which offer the same amenities whether you're in Manhattan or Mexico City.

Other travelers, though, prefer to seek out the unusual on their journeys. They look for hotels offering unconventional design or unique activities that couldn't be found elsewhere.

Latin America abounds with the weird and the wonderful. From a hotel made of salt to one that's entirely mobile, these are some of the once-in-a lifetime hotels you can find in the region.

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Costa Rica Considered Top Wedding Destination in Latin America

Costa Rica was recently recognized as the premier destination for weddings in Latin America in The Knot MarketIntelligence: 2012 Destination Weddings Study.

Wedding website, TheKnot.com, polled 2,757 qualified respondents and found that 32 percent cited the Riviera Maya as top wedding destination in Mexico while Los Cabos notched 20 percent of the vote and Cancun netted 14 percent.

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Surf and turf: Central America holiday ideas

May 18, 2012 | by Rachel Dixon

Central America is gaining in popularity for adventure travel. Earlier this year, Latina Marketing, which promotes the region in Europe, announced a 7% increase in British travellers there in 2011 compared with 2010 – there were around 85,000 between January and October. There had been a 6% increase in foreign visitors, to more than 9.5 million.

Here are some of the region's highlights, to explain why it's on the hot list:

• Belize
• Costa Rica
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Nicaragua
• Honduras

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Panama: a hot holiday destination?

May 18, 2012 | by Gemma Bowes

Chickens and scruffy children on bikes cross our path as we stroll along a sandy road past candy-coloured buildings beside a turquoise Caribbean sea. "Hey my friend!" Jim, our guide, stops to slap a Rasta man on the back. "How you been? You got your guitar today?"

"No man," says Calypso Joe, shaking his head, " … but I can go get it. You buy me a beer, and I play some guitar."

Ten minutes later we're on a rickety wooden platform above gentle waves, behind a shack of a cafe, beers in hand. Joe, in his 50s and wearing a palm tree-patterned shirt, strums calypso rhythms, the kind introduced to these islands by the African-Caribbean workers brought in by the banana plantation companies.

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Colombians Tour Florida More Than Ever

April 23, 2012 | by Doreen Hemlock

Credit their good economy or South Florida's great shopping: More Colombians are coming to Florida.

Last year, the number of Colombians visiting Florida rose by 13 percent to more than 306,000. Their spending jumped 24 percent to $303 million.

That made Colombia No. 5 in spending by foreign visitors to the Sunshine State, said the state's tourism marketing agency.

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Dubai targets Latin America for tourism growth

April 15, 2012 | by Rebecca Bundhun

Dubai's tourism authority is planning to open an office in South America as it hopes fast-growing Latin economies such as Brazil and Argentina will supply an influx of visitors to the emirate.

"We are looking into South America," said Hamad bin Mejren, the executive director of business tourism at the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

"That is a market we are concentrating on. I assure you we have plans to open an office in South America. When Emirates [Airline] flies to a destination, we work together."

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Tapping into the US Hispanic travel market

PUERTO VALLARTA-RIVIERA NAYARIT, Mexico - In a historic partnership between two visionary travel industry organizations, the NTA-ASTA Hispanic Business Development Task Force met for the first time in conjunction with Tianguis Turistico Mexico and developed a strategic plan to capture the undertapped US Hispanic travel market.

“Because tourism creates jobs and the Hispanic market represents 16 percent of the US population, there is an unprecedented opportunity for growth,” said Olga Ramudo, a member of both NTA and ASTA. “We want to ensure this market is serviced, captured, and has a voice in our industry.

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Travel Agencies in Rio, Local Expertise

March 13, 2012 | by Lacy Edney 


RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Rio is well known for its beaches, caipirinhas, Carnival, and of course the classic sounds of samba. Yet while travel agencies around the world can get you to Brazil, there are two Rio-based groups that offer the local expertise to provide an experience beyond the ordinary. 


Travelers seeking secluded beaches, tailor-made travel itineraries and VIP treatment should check out Dehouche. The British duo Henry Madden and Paul Irvine made the decision to start their business while on Rio’s Ipanema Beach in 2003, caipirinhas in hand. 


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TripAdvisor Personalized for 100 Million Travelers

Newton, MASS- TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, today announced that it is also the world’s largest social travel site.  To date, more than 100 million travelers have received a personalized experience, allowing them to engage first with their own Facebook friends’ reviews and opinions when planning a trip on TripAdvisor.(1)

With more than 60 million reviews and opinions on the site, TripAdvisor has a wealth of travel planning insights from its community.  With the additional insights from friends, impacting over 100 million travelers to date, TripAdvisor has made travel planning easier, more social, and more trusted.  A Nielsen study(2) stated that 76% of respondents trust recommendations from people they know the most.

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From Cities to Resorts, Travel Marketers Flock to Pinterest

Feb 28, 2012 | by Kate Kaye

Pinterest has become the trendiest new destination for the travel industry. From city tourism bureaus to hotel companies and travel publishers, the photo collection and sharing site is yet another social spot online for tourism marketers to spread their messages - in this case, visual ones.

"I knew it would have some legs especially from the tourism industry side of things," said Karen Fashana, marketing manager for Visit Buffalo Niagara, who just started using Pinterest a couple weeks ago. "It's a very visual platform and travel lends itself well to that."

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Accor celebrates its 150th hotel in Brazil

Brazil's economic boom (it is now the world's sixth largest economy, ahead of Great Britain) is pulling Latin America in its wake and it is clearly one of the world's most dynamic emerging regions alongside Asia. With 900 million travelers a year, it remains one of the Group's development priorities and indeed, Accor has just celebrated the opening of its 150th hotel in Brazil, the Novotel Porto Alegre Aeroporto.

This symbolic milestone is the crowning achievement of 34 years of continuous growth. And today, the pace of this growth is accelerating. In 2011, Accor opened no less than 9 hotels in Brazil, or the equivalent of 1,300 rooms. By 2015, the network should boast 250 Brazilian establishments as confirmed by Roland de Bonadona, Accor's Chief Operating Officer for Latin America: "Brazil is currently experiencing a period propitious to economic activity in general and to the hotel industry in particular. GDP growth causes an immediate increase in demand and boosts the development of the hotel industry".


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Fox News headline today warns about spring break travel in Mexico

Feb 14, 2012 | by Stephanie Abrams' 

Fox News has released a story with the headline: US Warns About Travel to Mexico as Spring Break Looms.

In paragraph 12 of the story, the Fox news story states:

“There were also no warnings for the states that are home to Cancun and Cabo San Lucas, two popular tourist destinations for Americans.”

The layout of the release that they sent out which combined a seductive photo of young ladies in their bikinis on a beach with the headline warning of danger in Mexico has the impact that they clearly desired to create. The story that Fox News wants to tell is delivered in the juxtaposition of the heavy warning and the unsuspecting American youth. It is doubtful that the one sentence in paragraph 12 that notes that ALL of the popular tourism destinations in Mexico are excluded from this warning will be read by anyone or that  that one sentence will neutralize the damage done by the headline, photo of the unsuspecting, and the 11 paragraphs that name places that most travelers have never heard of, have no interest in going to and are not the kind of places anybody would choose for a vacation.

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What Does the Mexico Travel Advisory Warning Really Mean?

By Nationally syndiated radio show host Stephanie Abrams 
www.sabrams.com

Here we go again! The news media are reporting that there is a travel advisory for US citizens issued by the State Department warning travelers to “defer non-essential travel,” and “exercise caution” in their travels to Mexico.  You will hear this sound byte and see crawlers across the screen that will leave you with a clear message: Don’t go to Mexico if you want to be safe.


The problem with this kind of slap-dash reporting is that nothing has really changed! No blanket statement has been made by the US State Department condemning travel to Mexico as unsafe. The 10 page document lists the states and regions within those states in Mexico that need to be avoided. What has not changed is that the dangerous regions are, for the most part, the area along the US border where drug runners have been carrying on for about forever and a variety of areas that have nothing to do with regions where tourists go! 

Mexico is enormous and the same logic one applies to not cancelling a trip to Manhattan because there was a drug bust in Brooklyn should apply. Unfortunately, news media won’t cut Mexico a break! So if you don’t delve into the report, you’ll come away from the evening news with the impression that Mexico should not be in your travel until further notice.

So that’s why I’m here! My self-imposed job is to set the record straight.

I have listed below quotes from the US government website report titled, “Travel Warning: US Department of State; Bureau of Consular Affairs” on Mexico issued on February 8, 2012, which note the places in Mexico that do NOT have a travel warning, advisory, ‘don’t go there’ ruling from the US government:

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Carnival announces special South America, Panama Canal voyages in 2013

Feb 09, 2012 | by Joe Pike

Carnival Cruise Lines recently announced several exciting itineraries for the 2013, including voyages to South America and the Panama Canal.

Next spring, the company will reposition Carnival Miracle to the West Coast following a special Panama Canal voyage, and bring Carnival Splendor to New York, following three spectacular South America cruises.

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Bookt launches InstaManager™ multilingual

Feb 02, 2012 - Bookt LLC, a pioneer in cloud-based technology solutions for the professional vacation rental manager, announces another new feature for InstaManagers in 2012 – the ability to add multiple international languages for all current and new InstaManager FLEX clients as an affordable upgrade.

“Everyone knows that travel is global,” said Robert Käll, CEO of Bookt. “And data from both the US and EU shows overwhelmingly that for travel search and purchases, consumers prefer their own language. That means a full language translation of the entire website including all property descriptions and booking screens.”

“We think many US-based vacation rental companies will obviously think of Spanish first,” said Käll. “There is a huge first-mover advantage for a Vacation Rental Manager to truly standout online in their local market,” he added, pointing out that content targeting the large Hispanic travel community can many times reign supreme in the various Spanish versions of Google and other search engines. German, Portuguese, French and Italian are also popular options, but even languages with non-latin alphabets like Korean and Russian can be accommodated. And for this upgrade, Bookt has made it easy and affordable – less than a thousand dollars for each new international site hosted on a unique domain.

InstaManager FLEX is a groundbreaking product combining powerful vacation rental manager software with tailored marketing distribution through FlipKey and TripAdvisor, with pricing starting at $1 with additional fees tied exclusively to a client’s booking success. Since 2007, Bookt has successfully served a fast growing global network of vacation rental managers. With the introduction of InstaManager FLEX and continual rollout of new features like Multilingual and last month’s launch of Mobile Web, Bookt anticipates accelerated growth and rising market prominence. Learn more at: instamanager.com.

About Bookt

Bookt is a leader in cloud based solutions for vacation rental managers, hoteliers, innkeepers, and larger travel organizations in the lodging industry. Bookt’s software and integrated marketing services make specialty lodging companies more effective with activities that directly drive their revenue, manage resources, and provide business control. Our flagship product, InstaManager, is delivered in partnership with TripAdvisor targeting the $85B Vacation Rental Industry. Sophisticated PMS, CRS, CRM, CMS, distribution and back-office functionality is delivered through the cloud to customers in over 31 countries on 5 continents. Learn more at www.bookt.com.

SOURCE: Bookt

Record number of americans now hold Passports

Jan 30, 2012 | by Andrew Bender

When I was a college kid backpacking through Europe, my European fellow travelers were aghast that so few Americans held a passport, while passports were virtually de rigueur for citizens across the pond. “What are Americans afraid of?” one even asked me.

Times have changed. “More Americans have passports now than ever before,” says Ken Chavez, spokesperson for the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the US State Department. Over one-third of the population to be exact, or nearly 110 million out of 313 million Americans. That’s more than double the number of US passports in circulation in 2000 (48 million) and around 15 times 1989’s 7 million. At that last number (under 3 percent of Americans), you can sort of understand why my European traveling buddies were scandalized.

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Brazil air travel triples since 2002

Jan 26, 2012 | by Marco Sibaja

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Demand for flights in Brazil has nearly tripled in the past decade, authorities said Wednesday. That is straining a system that is under pressure to prepare for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Brazil’s civil aviation agency said demand for air travel rose 194 percent in 10 years. Demand in 2011 alone increased 16 percent over the previous year.

In 2002, airlines flew 34.3 million passengers on flights originating in Brazil. That rose to 107.8 million last year, the agency reported.

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Benchmark Hospitality International adds Eldorado Hotel & Spa to management portfolio

Jan 19, 2012

Benchmark Hospitality International announces the addition of Eldorado Hotel & Spa to its portfolio of destination properties. Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, one of the southwest’s most vibrant cities, Eldorado Hotel & Spa is the perfect embodiment of the destination’s enchanting spirit, where Native American, Hispanic and Anglo cultures merge. Alex Cabanas, president business development & finance, made the announcement.

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Coffee tourism in Latin America

Jan 15, 2012 | by Lisa Rogak

These days, many people are traveling to places specifically to learn about the food and drink they consume on a regular basis back home. Whether exploring a favorite wine region or a cherished food, the choices are vast.

And now, coffee lovers can do likewise throughout Latin America. The good news is that coffee tourism exists all throughout the region in the form of tastings and tours. You can even stay at an inn or B&B where the beans for the coffee you sip at breakfast came from the bushes right outside your window.

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Cheapflights.com readies for the Red Carpet

BOSTON, MA, Jan 12, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- With less than 10 days to go until the kick-off of Robert Redford's world famous Sundance Film Festival, the film buffs here at Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, are all abuzz. To help everyone gear up for the 2012 movie season, we have compiled our Top 10 Film Festivals Around the World. A one-of-a-kind experience, film festivals offer the opportunity to explore the art of filmmaking with other enthusiasts, listen to the creators talk about their work, visit an exciting destination and, of course, spot a celeb or two.

Find out what makes our team's favorite cinema events unique with our list of Top 10 Film Festivals Around the World. If you're keen to be among the first to screen some of 2012's great new flicks, below are five film fests that you can catch over the next few months.

-- Sundance Film Festival -- Park City, Utah, United States - Sundance

Film Festival started out in 1978 as an event designed to attract more

filmmakers to Utah while staying away from the overpowering Hollywood

scene. Thirty-four years later, Sundance is the largest independent

film festival in the United States, exhibiting feature-length films,

documentaries, shorts, and animation while fostering dialogues among

film enthusiasts. This year, the festival will run from Jan. 19-29 in

Park City, Utah, showcasing 200 films whittled down from nearly 9,000

submissions. Can't make it to the big event? On Jan 26, nine movie

theaters across the United States will be hosting a filmmaker and his

or her work as part of Sundance Film Festival USA, so you may be able

to participate in the festivities wherever you are. Search and compare

cheap flights to Park City.

-- International Film Festival Rotterdam -- Rotterdam, the Netherlands -

Though it receives less tourist traffic than its neighboring city,

Amsterdam, Rotterdam is a modern representation of Dutch culture, and

its annual film festival is constantly paving the way for all genres

of innovative and thought-provoking cinema. This year's event will run

from Jan. 25 to Feb. 5, and will encompass 19 screening venues --

upwards of 350,000 viewers are expected to attend. Rotterdam attendees

are passionate movie-goers, so program directors make a point of

stripping down the superfluous aspects of film, like commercials and

trailers, for an untarnished viewing experience. Search and compare

cheap flights to the Netherlands.

-- Guadalajara Film Festival -- Guadalajara, Mexico - Considered the most

significant film affair in Latin America, Guadalajara Film Festival is

an important cultural event, showcasing Mexican and Latino talent

alongside other international works of cinematic art. Thanks to

Guadalajara Film Festival, Latin American film has become a competitor

in the global film industry. From March 2-12, over 100,000 film lovers

are expected to flood the streets and theaters of Guadalajara, viewing

close to 200 films. While not as chaotic as Mexico City, Guadalajara

is a destination perfect for exploring colonial history, enjoying the

Mexican culture, shopping street markets and savoring traditional

regional cuisine. Search and compare cheap flights to Mexico.

-- Hong Kong International Film Festival -- Hong Kong, China - The

perfect blend of East Asian culture and a thriving global market, Hong

Kong is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world.

It's no wonder that the Hong Kong International Film Festival has

become one of the largest in the world, and has bridged the gap

between Asian cinema and the global film industry. This year's event

will take place from March 21 to April 5, showcasing more than 330

titles from 50 countries to an expected 600,000 viewers. Spread among

more than 11 venues all around Hong Kong, including the Space Museum

and City Hall, visitors get the chance to witness the latest works

while exploring the vibrant city. Search and compare cheap flights to

China.

-- Berlin International Film Festival -- Berlin, Germany - One of the

most renowned film festivals in the world, the Berlin International

Film Festival (also known as Berlinale) combines the glamor of

filmmaking -- parties, red carpet, high fashion -- with the

appreciation of cinematic art in a variety of genres. Divided into 10

separate sections, highlighting areas like experimental and

avant-garde works, shorts geared towards younger generations, films

focused around culinary themes and several others, there's a place for

all film admirers at Berlinale. This year's festival will kick off on

Feb. 9 and last 10 days. It is expected that visitors from more than

115 countries will be in attendance to screen and discuss a variety of

international films. Search and compare cheap flights to Germany.

Planning to travel later in the year? The following five favorite film fests are celebrated in cities between May through September: Cannes International Film Festival -- Cannes, France; Rooftop Films -- New York, New York; Toronto International Film Festival -- Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Venice International Film Festival -- Venice, Italy, and the East End Film Festival -- East London, United Kingdom. To find out more about these festivals and to read the complete list of Cheapflights.com's Top 10 Film Festivals Around the World, visit www.cheapflights.com/travel-tips/film-festivals-around-the-world/ .

About Cheapflights Media 

 Cheapflights Media is an international media network helping over 11 million visitors a month find top travel deals. Our Cheapflights brand was launched in 1996 and pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users. Today, users compare a wide range of deals from hundreds of partners including online travel agents, consolidators and airlines to find the very best flight deals. With a mission to be the starting point for travel, Cheapflights works to deliver the industry's best airfare bargains, expert tips and inspiration. There are currently Cheapflights sites in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Germany, Australia & New Zealand, France, Italy and Spain. For more information, visit www.cheapflights.com . Our newest brand, Momondo, is a leading travel search engine for finding comprehensive worldwide pricing and availability on airfares. Winner of several awards, the site is ideal for users on specific travel schedules. For more information, visit www.momondo.com .

SOURCE: Cheapflights.com

New Disneyland holiday event targets Latino market

Jan 06, 2012 | by Sarah Tully

For the extended season, Disneyland officials decided to try out something new -- a three-day celebration aimed at a Latino-focused holiday.

On the first day Friday (today), officials were surprised at the amount of media interest in the Dia de Reyes event: Fourteen Spanish-language television outlets, both international and national, either broadcast on site or aired live segments from Disneyland. One English language station, KTTV, also came out, as well as a few print journalists for a morning media demonstration.

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Discovering Uruguay beaches

Dec 29, 2011 | by Michael Luongo

There are a few Uruguayan beach villages like this that retain an almost unspoiled, undeveloped character. They tend to attract the young and bohemian, along with Montevideo residents seeking to disconnect from modern life on vacation. Yet there are always threats to Eden, as the word gets out and developers smell profit.

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Costa Rican politics may throw ecotourism under the bus

Dec 19, 2011 | by John Perry

Known as one of the originators of eco-tourism, and appearing a very creditable third in a world index of sustainability, Costa Rica has a reputation to maintain. Its tourism industry, based around the country's slogan 'No artificial ingredients', is worth over £2bn annually [US$3,109,400,000], more than its coffee and banana exports combined. Though the smallest country in Central America, it receives the most tourists. Many of these are attracted not only by its forests and beaches but by its environmental reputation: you can travel to Costa Rica and feel good about it. As a result, it makes frequent appearances on lists of the top eco-tourist destinations.

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REDjet looks to new routes

(Jamaica Observer) Low-cost Caribbean airline carrier REDjet, which last month began flying from Barbados to Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana and Antigua, is looking to add new routes as it begins to fine-tune its operations.

On November 20, REDjet launched its inaugural flight from Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, to Kingston Jamaica. The next day it flew from Trinidad to Barbados and the following day it flew nonstop direct from Guyana to Antigua, the first time that route has ever been flown.

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Cambria suites Oklahoma City & Suenos Hospitality named Full Service Hotel of the Year by the Latino Hotel Association

SILVER SPRING, Md. and OKLAHOMA CITY, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cambria Suites hotel of Oklahoma City, owned by Suenos Hospitality, was recently named the 2011 Full Service Hotel of the Year by the Latino Hotel Association as part of the organization's annual Estrella Awards.

As the owner of the winning property, John Lopez, owner of Suenos Hospitality LLC, was present to accept the award at a recent ceremony. Mr. Lopez's Cambria Suites Oklahoma City hotel was named as this year's full service hotel award recipient due to the overwhelmingly positive guest comments for the property. The hotel was selected from among seven other nominated properties in its segment.

"We are proud and honored to be recognized with this award, which was made possible by the outstanding team we have in place at our Oklahoma City property — the entire staff shares this award for its unwavering commitment to customer service each and every day," said Mr. Lopez. "From the moment our guests enter the hotel, they are treated as family — we want them to think of Cambria Suites as their home away from home."

"This recognition for Mr. Lopez and the Cambria Suites Oklahoma City is truly a testament to the high caliber of this brand and its developers across the board," said Brian Parker, vice president of emerging markets and new business development for Choice Hotels International, Inc., franchisor of the Cambria Suites brand. "At Choice Hotels, we are strongly committed to the development of Cambria Suites as a brand as well as to our ongoing efforts in increasing the presence of Hispanic hoteliers throughout our system and in the industry overall."

The Estrella Awards were announced by the Latino Hotel Association, with partners Freeman Pulse, at the organization's annual convention in Las Vegas last month. The awards are the LHA's top honors bestowed upon the best in the hospitality industry. According to the organization, they serve as a constant incentive within the top national and international executives in hotel and property management companies.

"John's early success in the lodging industry is attributed to his vast business knowledge and surrounding himself with hotel industry experts such as Choice Hotels International and HP Properties," said Angela Gonzalez-Rowe, president of the Latino Hotel Association. "The Latino Hotel & Restaurant Association hopes to gain the interest of more Latinos in the United States to closely look at hotel investments as a way to diversify their investment portfolios and become actively involved in the ownership and management of hotels."

Mr. Lopez, former chairman of Lopez Foods, the nation's largest Hispanic meat manufacturer, is one of the country's most well-recognized and admired Hispanic businessmen, having received numerous awards and recognitions, including Hispanic Business magazine's coveted "Entrepreneur of the Year."

About Cambria Suites

Cambria Suites offers contemporary, upscale accommodations at affordable prices. Designed as a lifestyle hotel brand, Cambria Suites offers more than just a place to sleep at night. It features a larger lobby to give guests a more social atmosphere, all-suite rooms that are larger than standard hotel rooms and include a separate living, working and sleeping space, providing business and leisure travelers a haven to relax, socialize and network. There are currently 18 properties open across the country.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) franchises more than 6,100 hotels, representing more than 490,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories. As ofSeptember 30, 2011, 430 hotels were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 35,000 rooms, and 94 hotels, representing approximately 8,700 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 20 other countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. Web site, which may be accessed at http://www.choicehotels.com.

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

© 2011 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.

Pope announces trip to Mexico and Cuba

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI confirmed Dec. 12 that he will visit Cuba and Mexico in March next year.

The Holy Father made the announcement at St. Peter’s Basilica during an evening Mass on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Mass marked the bicentenary of the independence of many Latin America nations, including Mexico.

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JetBlue Airways, Puerto Rico's largest carrier, celebrates its first flights to the U.S. Virgin Islands

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Dec. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), Puerto Rico's largest carrier (b), today celebrates inaugural service to the U.S. Virgin Islands with twice-daily flights between San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) and St. Thomas International Airport (STT) and once-daily flights between San Juan and St. Croix International Airport (STX). The carrier's network now boasts 70 destinations across the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, including 11 destinations served nonstop from San Juan.

To celebrate, flights are on sale today through Dec. 31, 2011 at http://www.jetblue.com/new for as low as $39 for travel Jan. 5 - Feb. 15, 2012. What's more, for customers looking for an entire vacation package experience, complete with air, hotel, wheels and more, JetBlue Getaways is offering $100 off any vacation using promo code ENJOY100 (c) for bookings made by Dec. 31, 2011.

"Since our inaugural service to the Commonwealth nearly a decade ago, Puerto Ricans have consistently made JetBlue their carrier of choice," said Scott Laurence, vice president of network planning. "It is thanks to their loyal support we've been able to maintain steady growth on the island, adding even more destinations for visitors and residents of Puerto Rico alike. We are pleased to add this newest service to the beautiful U.S. Virgin Islands."

"We've worked diligently at the Department of Economic Development and Commerce to transform flight access to the region, and JetBlue's new service is a direct result of this stratagem," said Jose R. Perez-Riera, Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce. "It's key to Puerto Rico's economic development that we have the support of a renowned airline like JetBlue, which continues to expand. The carrier's growing presence is central for overall air traffic growth in Puerto Rico."

"On behalf of the people and Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands, we are delighted to welcome JetBlue to the Territory," said U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism, Beverly Nicholson-Doty. "The added capacity created by this new JetBlue service to both St. Croix and St. Thomas will allow us to maximize the inbound market from Puerto Rico, market to potential visitors connecting through San Juan and provide a new option for Virgin Islanders traveling to Puerto Rico and abroad," she said.

"This additional airlift, estimated to bring over 70,000 passengers a year, strengthens Puerto Rico as the hub of the Caribbean region. The added service to both St. Croix and St. Thomas will allow us to maximize the market potential as the U.S. Virgin Islands are our top source of passengers from the Caribbean," said Mario Gonzalez Lafuente, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. "It will be an economic boost to important inbound tourism segments such as corporate, leisure, medical, entertainment, groups and conventions among others."

Customers traveling to St. Thomas or St. Croix can also seamlessly connect via San Juan to additional destinations throughout JetBlue's network, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando or Tampa, Fla.; Hartford, Conn.; or New York's JFK. St. Thomas customers can also connect to Jacksonville, Fla. through San Juan. Additionally, JetBlue is making it easier for New Englanders to visit the Virgin Islands with the launch of seasonal service between Boston's Logan International Airport and St. Thomas this Thursday, Dec. 15. At least five weekly departures will operate nonstop on the southbound flight and direct via San Juan on the northbound flight to Boston.

JetBlue's flights from San Juan will be operated with its quiet and fuel efficient 100-seat Embraer 190 aircraft (E190), while flights from Boston will be operated with the airline's equally-comfortable Airbus A320 fleet. In Puerto Rico, JetBlue serves San Juan, Aguadilla and Ponce, with flights to eleven non-stop destinations, six within the continental U.S.: Boston, Hartford (starting in January 2012), New York, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa and four within the Caribbean: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. This summer JetBlue grew to 35 daily flights to the island, and now offers more capacity (available seat miles) to and from the Commonwealth than any other airline.

About JetBlue Getaways

JetBlue Getaways offers vacation packages across 70 destinations throughout the U.S., Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean with exclusive deals on flights and directly contracted hotels. Members of the airline's customer loyalty program, TrueBlue, can also earn six points for every dollar spent on vacation packages, earning reward travel twice as fast. To enroll in TrueBlue or to learn more about the program, visit http://www.jetblue.com/vacations or call 1-800-JETBLUE, option 3.

About JetBlue Airways

JetBlue, the #1 airline in Puerto Rico, is known for its award-winning service and free TV as much as its low fares, JetBlue offers the most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (based on average fleet-wide seat pitch) and super-spacious Even More Space seats. JetBlue is also America's first and only airline to offer its own Customer Bill of Rights, with meaningful and specific compensation for customers inconvenienced by service disruptions within JetBlue's control. Visit http://www.jetblue.com/promise for details. JetBlue serves 70 cities with 700 daily flights, and plans to serve Dallas/Fort Worth in May 2012. With JetBlue, all seats are assigned, all fares are one-way, and an overnight stay is never required. For information or reservations call 1-800-JET-BLUE (1-800-538-2583), TTY/TDD 1-800-336-5530, 1-801-365-2583, or visit http://www.jetblue.com.

SOURCE JetBlue Airways

GOL and Delta Air Lines announce strategic alliance

São Paulo, December 7, 2011 – GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (the "Company"), the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, in compliance with CVM Instruction 358/2002 ("CVM Instruction 358"), hereby informs its shareholders and the market in general that it signed a binding agreement involving the acquisition by the U.S. company, Delta Air Lines, Inc. of a strategic minority interest of US$100 million of GOL´s preferred shares.

About the Investment

Delta Airlines Inc. (“Delta”) will invest US$100 million in exchange for ADSs representing GOL’s preferred shares through the issuance of preferred share with an issue price of R$22.0 per share. The total capital increase will be up to R$280 million (US$150 million), including the subscription rights for all GOL´s shareholders. GOL’s Board will deliberate on December 21, 2011 to resolve on the capital increase.

In the context of the investment, GOL’s controlling shareholder agreed to elect a Delta representative to the Company’s Board of Directors as long as Delta holds at least 50% of the ADSs acquired in the investment, among other conditions. Delta agreed, for a period of 12 months, not to sell the acquired ADSs (lockup) and not to acquire any further GOL shares , including in the form of ADSs (standstill), without GOL’s consent.

Brazilian law limits the maximum number of preferred shares that can be issued by GOL to 50% of the Company’s total capital. As a result, Delta’s investment is structured as follows:

• GOL’s controlling shareholder will sell ADSs representing GOL´s preferred shares to Delta against payment of US$100 million. At the same time, GOL’s controlling shareholder will undertake to reinvest this amount in a capital increase to be simultaneously approved by the Company; and

• The amount of the capital increase will be up to R$280 million, equivalent to the issuance of preferred share with an issue price of R$22.0 per share given that the amount of capital increase to be subscribed by the controlling shareholder, according to its pre-emptive rights, is an amount of US$100 equivalent in dollar, less taxes and other charges incurred by the controlling shareholder in the context of the transfer of the ADSs to Delta . GOL’s controlling shareholder will use the proceeds from the sale of the ADSs to Delta to subscribe the Company’s shares issued on the capital increase.

The controlling shareholder will not receive any economic benefit from the transaction. Pre-emptive rights in regard to the capital increase will be granted to all GOL shareholder, including ADSs holders. More detailed information on the capital increase, including the issued price for the preferred shares and ADSs, the terms and mechanisms for the exercise of pre-emptive rights, and the record date will be disclosed promptly after the GOL Board of Directors’ Meeting to be held on December 21, 2011.

About the Commercial Agreements

In the context of the investment, Delta and GOL entered into a long- term commercial agreement with exclusivity provisions designed to strengthen the operational cooperation and synergies between the two companies, including: 

• an increase in the scope of the code-share agreement (flight sharing), subject to the relevant approvals, allowing Delta to use its code for more GOL flights in Brazil, the Caribbean and South America, and GOL to add its code for Delta’s flights between Brazil and the United States, and from the U.S. to other destinations, thereby increasing the number of flight options for clients of both airlines and expanding their geographical reach;

• the optimization of connecting services in order to increase the attractiveness of the companies joint services, facilitating flight connections and cargo and passenger movement among the nearly 400 destinations in over 70 countries served by GOL and Delta;

• The increase in passenger comfort by aligning services and benefits for members of both the SMILES and SkyMiles mileage programs;

• joint commercial and promotional activities, encouraging both airlines’ sales forces to cooperate in Brazil, the United States and, eventually, in other countries;

• the exploration of synergies in passenger services, maintenance, VIP lounges and logistical support;

• the transfer of the lease of the two remaining Boeing 767 aircraft in GOL´s fleet and their spare parts to Delta.

The transaction does not envisage GOL’s adherence to a Global Alliance, and it is aligned with the Company's goal of seeking out long-term strategic partnerships and strengthening its capital structure, with a focus on creating value for its shareholders. Delta handles more than 160 million passengers per year, has a fleet of more than 700 aircraft and flies to 350 destinations in almost 70 countries spread through six continents. It is the largest airline in the world in terms of passenger-kilometers transported and has more international routes than any other U.S. airline.

The experience and knowledge of global aviation acquired by Delta in more than 81 years of operations in the most developed market in the world, combined with the growth potential of Brazilian commercial aviation, provides an opportunity for both companies to increase their return on capital employed in the coming years.

The alliance with Delta is in line with GOL´s strategy of creating international partnerships with leading global players that add value to its services through the joint accumulation/redemption of miles in the airlines’ mileage programs combined with the opportunity of long-distance flights for GOL passengers. The agreement also capitalizes GOL, strengthening its balance sheet and making it better prepared to achieve its objectives and to explore new markets and sources of revenue. GOL also expects that partnering with a global player will result in operational synergies with a strong potential for reducing operating costs, thereby reinforcing the Company’s low-cost, low-fare DNA.

SOURCE GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.

LatinAmerican travel startup InBed.me wants to make hostel booking more social

Nov 30, 2011 | by Anna Heim

According to its founders, “InBed.me is an online platform where you can book a hostel or Bed & Breakfast to stay on your next trip, and also connect with other travelers that will be staying in the same places during your travel dates. You’ll be able to connect, share tips and plan activities together with other travelers.” You can use the discount code “TNW” to get a $10 discount on any booking made in December. 

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Caribbean should promote to Hispanic American market

Nov 29, 2011

Caribbean tourism marketers should include the powerful Hispanic-American community and the wider multicultural market segment when promoting the allure of the region to North American audiences.

Lisa Skriloff, a veteran multicultural marketing expert, and CBS News Associate Producer Ivette Davila-Richards of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, made the call in New York while preparing to address the 20th edition of the Caribbean Media Exchange slated for 1-5 December, 2011, at Frenchman’s Reef & Marriott Beach Resort in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands.

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How to target diverse hotel market segments

Nov 28, 2011 | by Patrick Mayock

It took me two seconds to realize I had walked into the panel by mistake. I was attending the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show at the Javits Center in New York earlier this month, and I thought the session titled “Targeting Unique Markets to Develop New Business” would cover development-related strategies in emerging markets throughout the globe.

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McDonald's® USA announces the launch of its Official Spanish-Language Twitter Handle, @MeEncanta, to engage with Latino followers

OAK BROOK, Ill., Nov. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- McDonald's USA is expanding its social media strategy with the launch of @MeEncanta, McDonald's official Twitter handle focused on its growing number of Spanish-tweeting fans living in the U.S. The new social media channel offers followers the latest news about McDonald's menu, exclusive promotions, as well as information on the company's different initiatives to support the community in the areas of education, music and sports.

"Hispanics are social by nature, and one of the most active social media users group. Launching our Spanish-language Twitter page was a natural step for McDonald's as we continue to build lasting relationships with our online consumers," said Cristina Alfaro, external communications manager, McDonald's USA. "Twitter is a wonderful way to listen to our followers, participate in the conversation, and lead with timely information about the things they care about, including access to college workshops; music and sporting events; fun giveaways and promotional events exclusive for @MeEncanta followers," continued Alfaro, a guest speaker at PR News' Twitter Conference in Las Vegas on Nov. 10.

The new Twitter handle is managed by McDonald's national Hispanic PR agency of record, VPE Public Relations, and overseen by McDonald's communication and social media teams.

About McDonald's

McDonald's USA, LLC, is the leading foodservice provider in the United States serving a variety of wholesome foods made from quality ingredients to more than 26 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald's 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by local business men and women. Customers can now log online for free at any of the 11,500 participating Wi-Fi enabled McDonald's U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com or follow us on Twitter (@McDonalds, @MeEncanta) and Facebook (Facebook.com/McDonalds) for updates on our business, promotions and products.

SOURCE McDonald's USA, LLC

Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ sees strong growth in China, India and South America

Nov 10, 2011

Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) continues to enjoy a successful 20th year of business, with a number of exciting new developments across the brand, including some fantastic new properties around the globe, improved Club membership benefits, new ski packages for the winter season and a host of new packages to celebrate Christmas 2011.

“Our anniversary year continues to see development across all areas of SLH. We are operating in very different times to when we began in 1991, and have had to evolve with the industry in order to grow. Increasing our geographical spread of properties has been an area of focus for us, and I am delighted to welcome 38 new hotels to our family since January 2011. This quarter, we’ve added some truly exciting new properties in emerging destinations such as India, China and South America which I hope our guests will relish. And it’s not too late to book your ski or Christmas holiday – we have some fabulous options for both”, commented Paul Kerr, Chief Executive Officer, SLH.

New properties join the SLH family

23 properties have recently joined the SLH family between July and September 2011. This includes 9 properties in EMEA, 5 properties in the Americas and 9 in Asia Pacific. There has been a marked rise this quarter in the growth regions of South America, China and India in particular, with properties such as Bo Bo Hotel, Buenos Aires, Tengchong Spring Spa Villas Resort in Tengchong, China and The Serai-Chikmagalur, Chikmagalur, India joining SLH.

SKI with SLH

Whether it’s a chi-chi resort in Europe or the wild expanses of New Zealand, SLH offers a dazzling choice of ski and winter breaks to suit every taste. With a wide range of action packed activities on offer such as heli-skiing, glacier tours and hiking, to more relaxing and rejuvenating options such as spa treatments, horse riding and après-ski fun, SLH has carefully selected its ski portfolio to offer the very best winter experiences around the globe. Highlights include the ski packages now available at Kristiania Lech, Austria and four new ski hotels which have recently joined the brand - Premier Luxury Mountain Resort in Bansko, Bulgaria and Bentleys House, Jagdgut Wachtelhof and Grand Hotel Tirolia in Austria. Check out www.slh.com for the full ski portfolio.

The Perfect Christmas Gift

SLH has remedied the tricky task of finding the perfect Christmas gift with the launch of experience-based SLH Gift Certificates. Sipping cocktails whilst taking in the mesmerising views of Monte Carlo, kayaking over still waters on Lake Placid or enjoying a luxury spa treatment on a private island in the Seychelles are but a few of the enchanting experience available to those with an SLH Gift Certificate. The certificates are available with a Spa, Gourmet or romantic Honeymoon theme, as well as in monetary values of 50, 100 and 500 in three currencies (Pounds Sterling, Euros or US Dollars).

Club Programme Success With ‘Special’, ‘Loved’ and ‘Honoured’ Benefits

In July 2011, SLH revamped its Club structure, giving customers the opportunity to receive even more benefits each time they choose to stay at an SLH property. Membership now exists in three tiers – Special, Love and Honoured, with the benefits increasing the more a guest stays at an SLH property. Customers can earn complimentary nights, free room upgrades, special rates and late check-out as well as a range of other benefits when they become part of The Club of SLH.

Reservations from Club members are up over 100% when comparing 2011 YTD with last year, proving that the new and improved rewards are being well received by loyal members.

SOURCE Small Luxury Hotels

Copa Holdings builds a first-stage base

Oct 31, 2011 | by Donald H. Gold

The secret of success for Copa Holdings (CPA), a Panama-based passenger and cargo carrier, may be that it avoids the U.S. and focuses on the booming Latin America travel market.

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Expedia data shows online travel bookings to Argentina on the rise

Oct 31, 2011

Expedia, Inc. discussed newly-released data at the annual Feria Internacional de Turismo (FIT) showing positive growth in bookings made to Argentina on the company's more than 100 Expedia-brand and Hotels.com-brand travel booking sites worldwide this year.

"Argentina is an increasingly popular travel destination, with growth of more than 80 percent in the number of bookings to Argentine hotels this year versus 2010," said Marco Tagliatti, Expedia vice president of lodging for Latin America. "The growth is coming from international travelers, who are traveling in the greatest numbers from the U.S., Brazil, the U.K., Australia and Spain."

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American Airlines boosts New York-Rio route

Oct 18, 2011 | by Ben Tavener

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – American Airlines is gearing up for a busy tourist season by reintroducing its daily nonstop New York–Rio de Janeiro route throughout the Brazilian summer. The revamped service will run from November 15th, 2011 to April 2012, according to the company, and is following a trend of increased flights from the U.S. to Brazil.

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Copa revels in 40% "honeymoon" hike

Oct 06, 2011 | by Stewart Miller

PANAMA CITY, Panama -- The Bahamas saw a 40 percent hike in visitor arrivals from Latin America for June and July, with Copa Airlines´four-weekly flights behind 98 percent of the increase, according to statistics out of the Ministry of Tourism (MoT).

Copa´s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Marco Ocando, described the new route for the airline´s most succesful to date in a meeting with Bahamian media Tuesday. Sitting in the boardroom of the airline´s Panama head office, he said Copa has begun to look at the feasibility of graduating the new destination to daily service.

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All travellers' day

Sep 27, 2011 by Maria Domnitskaya

The 27th of September is World Tourism Day which was established by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in 1979 to develop links between nations. The day marks the end of the tourist season in the northern hemisphere and the beginning of it in the southern. This year’s catchphrase of World Tourism Day is “Tourism Unites Cultures”. The main events will take place in the Egyptian city of Assouan. UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai says that this will support the Egyptian tour industry which lost over $2bln in the three months of the revolution.

World Tourism Day is a festival of those who love travelling. Tourists can be seen everywhere: near unique architectural monuments, among volcanoes, on a balcony of a luxurious hotel, on the sea coast or on the bank of a mountain river. 940mln people travelled in the world last year and 12mln of them were Russian.

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Hilton Worldwide unveils strong Latin America expansion plans

Sep 24, 2011 | Hilton Worldwide confirmed this week at the South America Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference hosted by HVS Argentina (SAHIC 2011) in Santiago, Chile, that the company’s expansion plans in Latin America are stronger than ever in the company’s 93-year history. As conference patrons, Hilton Worldwide is committed to cementing its focus on Latin America as a target market for the company’s growth and reinforces its desire to introduce new Hilton Worldwide brands to new markets, proven by its recent opening of the Hilton Garden Inn Santiago Airport.

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Mexico City hosts Second Annual International Tourism Fair of the Americas

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mexico City Ministry of Tourism today opened the second annual Tourism Fair of the Americas (FITA by its Spanish acronym), the premier travel trade show in the Western hemisphere. Through exhibitions featuring destinations and new tourism products, FITA promotes and unites the global travel industry, which accounts for approximately 11 percent of worldwide productivity and one in every eleven jobs.

More than 30,000 visitors are expected to attend the four day event. The first two days are limited to travel industry professionals who will engage in an expected 25,000 business meetings on site, establish new partnerships and develop new business and marketing opportunities. The last two days are open to the general public so exhibitors can market their destinations and products directly to consumers.

"We are pleased to once again host this international tourism fair and welcome visitors from around the world to our city," said Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico City's Mayor at the opening ceremony. "Mexico City is a natural choice to host FITA, as it is the country's number one travel destination. We welcome 12 million visitors to Mexico City each year, who come for our many historical and cultural sites, business conventions and world-class restaurants and hotels."

Exhibitors at FITA include 60 countries from 5 continents, including Brazil, Italy, New Zealand and the United States. Exhibitors include national tourism ministries, airlines, hotel chains and destinations. In addition, attendees can visit pavilions in the convention center dedicated to adventure travel, business meetings and conventions and luxury travel, in addition to other specialized travel opportunities.

FITA will be held from September 22 – 25 at Expo Bancomer, Mexico City's modern and largest convention center. For more information, visit http://www.fitamx.com/ and www.mexicocityexperience.com

Mexico City is the country's premier tourism destination, welcoming more than 12 million visitors a year.  The ancient capital presents a vibrant, contemporary culture combining pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern influences that span nearly seven centuries.  With 160 museums (more than any other city in the world), 31 distinct archeological and historic sites, as well as 100 art galleries, the city's tourism industry is enhanced with the support of the Mexico City Tourism Promotion Fund (Fondo Mixto de Promocion Turistica del Distrito Federal).  For more information, please visit www.mexicocityexperience.com, download the free StyleMap Mexico City app, and for daily updates, please friend/follow us on Facebook and Twitter @MexicoCity.

SOURCE Mexico City Tourism Promotion Fund