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Azamara Cruises opens 2011-12 cruisetour programm to exotic destinations

MIAMI, July 20, 2010 – From tango halls to souks, cathedrals to palaces, and pyramids to the Great Wall, Azamara Club Cruises today announced 13 land-tour itineraries, combinable with an Azamara cruise for cruisetour packages that offer more authentic cultural experiences for the up-market traveler. Ranging from two- to six-night escorted land adventures, guests can enjoy even more immersive experiences in eight of the world’s most exciting destinations, including Rome, Athens, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Istanbul, Jordan and Israel, India, and China.

All cruisetour packages embody Azamara’s philosophy of visiting unique destinations; immersing in the destinations; delivering extraordinary service by every member of the staff and crew; savoring the regions’ cuisines and fine wines; and focusing on wellness and vigor, onboard and on land. All land-tour itineraries are escorted by a Tour Director or a local host, and feature accommodations in five-star hotels located in metropolitan centers. In addition to included immersive experiences, guests will enjoy plenty of time for personal exploration and shopping, with full breakfast in the hotels, additional select meals, all transportation and ground transfers included in the land-tour itinerary.

“The introduction of these new offerings will enable up-market travelers to enjoy an even more immersive adventure with Azamara,” said Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. “Guests have more opportunities to experience the cultures of exotic destinations by extending their Azamara voyage with a land-tour itinerary for an enthralling vacation. Throughout, every staff and crew will deliver Azamara Club Cruises’ extraordinary signature service to our guests.”

Travelers can select from among 13 individual pre- and post-voyage land-tour itineraries to extend their Azamara vacation in some of the world’s most exotic destinations. Azamara Club Cruises cruisetour itineraries are available for purchase ala carte, and travelers have the flexibility to opt for the land-tour extension at any point after they make their cruise booking for an enriching cruisetour vacation.

In summer 2011, guests of Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest can choose a two-night Athens or three-night Rome cruisetour package. In addition to the must-see sites in Athens, guests on this cruisetour will learn the traditional Greek dance of Syartaki and learn to make their own set of Greek Komboloi beads, believed for centuries to possess stress-relieving properties. The Rome cruisetour includes a visit to the Pope’s summer residence and Oastia Antica at the mouth of the Tiber River to see some of the most well-preserved Roman ruins and mosaics, as well as enjoy authentic Italian food and wine tastings and escorted tours of Vatican City’s museums and historic buildings.

In the 2011-12 Austral summer, Azamara Journey guests can choose a three-night Buenos Aires & Iguazu Falls land-tour vacation extension to experience all the culture, flavors, and colors of this vibrant South American city. The cruisetour also takes guests for an overnight to the breathtaking Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Guests of Azamara Quest also have a range of cruisetour packages choices for a more in-depth experience in the Near East. A two-night Istanbul cruisetour visits all the iconic sites of this ancient city, including a fortune-reading of guests’ Turkish coffee drippings, while they enjoy a panoramic view of the bustling city from atop Pierre Loti.

A four-night Jordan and Israel itinerary delves into the cradle of Western civilization, and a three-night Cairo itinerary features a visit to the wondrous pyramids of Giza on camelback and the labyrinthine Khan El Khalili Bazaar. In the Far East, guests can rediscover the inland metropolises of India, including Delhi, Agra for the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur on an amazing five-night itinerary. Additionally, a five- or six-night cruisetour itinerary unveils the cultural heritage of China in Beijing, Xian and Hong Kong. Azamara Club Cruises is a destination-immersive cruise line for upmarket travelers who want to not only see the places and cultures they visit, but to live them.

Azamara’s two intimate, 694-guest ships, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, with a combination of 347 suites and staterooms, offer a boutique European hotel ambience with extraordinary service, fine cuisine and wines from around the world, and wellness and vigor programs, all while sailing to a host of destinations larger ships can’t reach. Azamara Club Cruises sails in Northern and Western Europe, Mediterranean, Asia, South America and the Panama Canal, Transatlantic, and the less-traveled islands of the Caribbean, with more overnight and late-night stays in every region

Orbitz Ranks Cancun as Top Travel Destination in for 2011

Orbitz Travel Index Ranks

Cancun, Mexico January 12, 2012:- The Cancun Convention & Visitors Bureau is honored to be recognized as America's top travel destination for 2011, according to the Orbitz Travel Index. The destination known for its breathtaking turquoise waters was ranked as the #1 international summer travel destination this past August and Orbitz has now announced that Cancun held the top-position throughout 2011.

The Orbitz Insider ranking is based on all air bookings made on Orbitz.com for travel between January 1 and December 31, 2011. Orbitz.com is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and book travel products, such as airline tickets, hotel rooms, vacation packages, etc. Since launching to the general public in June 2001, Orbitz.com has become one of the largest online travel sites in the world.

Orbitz Insider Index: The Top International Travel Destinations in 2011

1. Cancun

2. San Juan, Puerto Rico

3. London

4. Paris

5. Mexico City

6. Toronto

7. Guadalajara

8. San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

9. San Jose, Costa Rica

10. Rome

Aeromexico named best airline in Mexico

* For the second year in a row, the airline recieves this prestigious award from the magazine Global Traveler

Mexico City, December 20, 2011.- Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline, has been named "Best Airline in Mexico” by Global Traveler's 8th Annual Reader Survey. Global Traveler's readers recognized airlines, hotels, loyalty programs and travel-related products in 66 categories. With over 31,000 readers participating in the survey, which include travel agents and providers of services related to industry, as well as frequent travelers.

"It is an honor to be recognized by such a distinguished magazine and group of voters who read Global Traveler. At Aeromexico, we strive to be the best possible airline and continuously work at satisfying our passenger's needs. This award recognizes the Aeromexico staff at all levels and we applaud the work of each of our employees”, said Oscar Mejia, Vice President of Aeromexico's U.S. and Canada divisions.

Aeromexico is committed to serving all passengers with the highest level of customer service while ensuring a comfortable trip with the warmth and hospitality that are unique to Mexico. With flights to 14 destinations in USA that can connect to a network of over 40 destinations in Mexico, Aeromexico is proud to be the best airline connecting the United States with Mexico.

Spanish Royal Highnesses Open FITUR 2012

Don Felipe de Borbon and Doña Letizia Ortiz at the grand opening of FITUR 2012 Don Felipe de Borbon and Doña Letizia Ortiz, the prince and princess of Asturias, opened FITUR 2012 in Madrid. The ribbon-cutting ceremony kicked off this time around in the fair’s entrepreneurial section.

Once again, the Spanish crown has shown its unconditional support to both the travel industry, its professionals and to one of the sector’s major tradeshows: FITUR. A large number of journalists have registered for a complete coverage of the grand opening of FITUR 2012. However, some sources close to the organizing committee have said there are nearly one thousand less exhibitors in this year’s edition compared to the 2011 fair.

Through January 20, FITUR 2012 will promote business deals among professionals in the travel and tourism business. During this upcoming weekend –Saturday 21 and Sunday 22- the tradeshow will be open for the general public willing to take a closer look at the latest trends and services from countless travel destinations and travel companies.

Delta to Shell Out $65 Million in Aeromexico in New Partnership

Delta Air Lines and Grupo Aeromexico have announced a tentative agreement for a long-term, exclusive commercial alliance. Under the agreement, Delta and Aeromexico will expand cooperation to leverage each other’s strengths and link Delta’s expansive network with Mexico’s largest passenger network. As part of the agreement, Delta also will invest $65 million in Aeromexico.

The agreement means customers will get network-wide codesharing to include all Delta and Aeromexico flights between the U.S. and Mexico as well as flights within the carriers’ domestic networks and to other key international destinations. Sales teams will offer joint contracting to corporate customers. Elite and Platinum customers will get expedited call handling. Elite and Platinum customers will be able to reserve preferred seating via the carriers’ reservations centers. The two carriers will co-locate their airport facilities in the future.

Cancun-Riviera Maya 2012: wine & food festival

Honoring Celebrity Chef Ferran Adrià, Star Chefs and Acclaimed Wineries from the Americas

Cancun, Mexico (June 28, 2011) - Food and wine lovers from all over can mark their calendars as the countdown to the First Annual Cancun-Riviera Maya Wine & Food Festival has begun. Bringing national and international affluent consumers to one of the most visited and picturesque destinations in the world, the inaugural event will take place March 15 - 18, 2012.

Celebrating Star Chefs, Wines and Spirits of the Americas’ continent, Mexican Gastronomy, and special guest of honor, Ferran Adrià -- this innovative Festival will feature some 30 events over four days, including the best that Canada, the USA, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru have to offer in terms of talent, wineries, spirits and culture.

A sampling of the festivals events include: The Future of Cooking with Ferran Adrià, Star Chefs Tribute To Mexico Gala Dinner, Celebrity and Winemakers Lunch Cruise, Tapas & Paellas Competition, Ferran Adrià Tribute Dinner, Wine and Spirits Tasting Seminars, Celebrity Chef Cooking Demos, After Dark Cancun Parties, the Amex Gourmet Tasting Village where the best restaurants and gourmet foods, wines, spirits and entertainment will be showcased, and a Closing Latin Grill and Fiesta.

“We’re planning a memorable wine and food experience, on one of the most remarkable cultural and adventure destinations on earth. When still cold in North America, fantastic weather and some of the nicest beaches in the world will await our international guests. By placing limits on the number of seats at each event, we want to facilitate interaction between our guests and their preferred celebrities. This is an incredible event you won’t want to miss,” says Festival Founder, David Amar.”

CELEBRITY CHEFS FROM 8 COUNTRIES: Ferran Adrià, Spain; Ingrid Hoffman, USA; Jacques Pepin, USA; Aaron Sanchez, USA; Marcella Valladolid, USA; Cristián Correa, Chile; Jerome Ferrer, Canada; Paulina Abascal, Mexico; Christian Bravo, Mexico; Sergio Camacho, Mexico; Aquiles Chavez, Mexico; Arturo Fernandez, Mexico; Miguel Garcia, Mexico; Paola Garduño, Mexico; Guillermo González, Mexico; Federico López, Mexico; Paco Mendez, Mexico; Benito Molina, Mexico; Ricardo Muñoz, Mexico; Edgar Nuñez, Mexico; Enrique Olvera, Mexico; Bruno Oteiza, Mexico; Patricia Quintana, Mexico; Carmen Ramirez, Mexico; Alejandro Ruiz, Mexico; Roberto Solis, Mexico; and Jonathan Torres, Mexico. Additional star chefs from Argentina, Brazil and Peru to be announced soon.

"Cancun CVB"

Cancun Awarded Platinum Partners & Business Destination Travel Awards

Cancun, Mexico December 7, 2011.- The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau proudly announces that it has recently been the recipient of two prestigious travel industry awards: Incentive Magazine's "Platinum Partner Award” and Business Destination's "Best Destination for MICE, North America.”

Over the past 15 years, the Platinum Partners Awards has become a benchmark of success and satisfaction in areas such as personnel motivation, corporate gifts and incentive trips. The Platinum Partner Award is given to companies or organizations that excel in industry incentives. Winners are chosen by more than 65,000 readers of Incentive Magazine, who represent actual users of products and services market incentives.

"The Cancun Convention and Visitors Bureau"

Some 45 Million People Now Following FITUR 2012 on the Social Networks

Companies and entities attending this week’s FITUR 2012 fair in Madrid have given top priority to the use of social media and their use in reeling in more end users of travel and tourism products. According to some studies conducted by FITUR, as many as 38 million people will be following the Madrid tradeshow on Facebook, while half a dozen million social network users will log on to Twitter to remain posted on the latest developments. With that view in mind, FITUR has put smart money on the enhancement of social media capabilities by streamlining the use of Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as by upgrading its Facebook account. With over 30,000 followers, FITUR has managed to position itself high on the list of Facebook and Twitter users around the globe. The Hey AV agency has carried out a strategy to liven up the FITUR profiles on the social networks in an effort to coordinate and multiply some 13,325 tweets and 5,550 Facebook posts they expect exhibitors to generate from inside the fairgrounds. Organizers believe at least 15 percent of attendees will place posts in their own social media profiles –especially on Facebook and Twitter- with comments related to the event.

USA New Record: 60 millions visitors in 2010

U.S. draws 8.7% more visitors in 2010

The Commerce Department reported 60 million visitors to the U.S. last year, an increase of 8.7% over 2009 and a new record. Arrivals from overseas (countries other than Canada and Mexico) also set a record, rising 11% to 26.4 million and finally eclipsing the pre-9/11 peak reported in 2000.

Continuing a recent trend, the growth in arrivals from established markets such as Western Europe lagged behind the rapid growth in visitation from emerging markets such as China, South Korea and Brazil, which registered increases of 53%, 49% and 34%, respectively.

Visitation from the U.K., the U.S.'s largest source market overseas, was down 1.2%. Visitation from Canada and Mexico, the top two source markets overall, was up 11% and 1.5%, respectively. Foreign visitor spending was also on the rebound in 2010, rising 12% to $134 billion, generating a $31.2 billion travel-related trade surplus.

"Travel Weekly"

AMResorts: new hotels in Mexico & Dominican Republic

AMRESORTS CONTINUES AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION WITH BRAND LAUNCH, NEW DESTINATIONS AND PROPERTY OPENINGS

Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa and Secrets Huatulco Debut; Highlight Upcoming Year Following Successful 2010

PHILADELPHIA, PA March 26, 2011 — AMResorts, provider of sales, marketing and brand management services for Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, and Secrets, Dreams and Now Resorts & Spas, forecasts an exciting 2011 with a brand introduction, entry into new destinations, resort openings and the continued expansion of its diverse portfolio.

In November, AMResorts will relaunch the Sunscape Resorts & Spas brand with the opening of Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa – its first resort in this popular Mexico destination. The Sunscape brand will offer families, friends and singles an Unlimited-Fun® experience – a new vacation concept from the award-winning company. Ixtapa will become the seventh Mexico destination to have an AMResorts property, demonstrating its success and confidence in this market.

This summer, Secrets Huatulco Resort & Spa will debut to become Secrets’ first foray into the Mexico Pacific coast. In addition, AMResorts has two developments underway in Puerto Vallarta, Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta and Now Amber Puerto Vallarta, set to open in 2012. These planned resorts underscore a strong commitment to the Mexico market, which is home to approximately two-thirds of AMResorts’ current portfolio.

In the Caribbean, AMResorts will debut two new Punta Cana properties in May 2011: Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana and Now Larimar Punta Cana. AMResorts closed 2010 with 22 resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica, inclusive of more than 8,000 rooms, employing 11,520 staff and generating over $425 million in annual sales.

The past year also saw the introduction of a new resort brand, Now Resorts & Spas, entry into new destinations, five property openings, the receipt of over 75 industry and guest awards – including the seventh consecutive AAA Five Diamond Award for Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya – and the announcement of the company’s largest development project to-date, Gems at Cap Cana. The $400 million development is comprised of Zoëtry Gems at Cap Cana, Secrets Gems at Cap Cana, Now Emerald Cap Cana and Now Pearl Cap Cana.

Aeromexico: MIA to Cancun Daily Nonstop Service Starting July 4

By Arlene Satchell Aeromexico is launching nonstop service between Miami and Cancun, Mexico starting July 4, the airline announced recently. Aeromexico’s two daily flights from Miami International Airport to Cancun International Airport will depart at 7:45 a.m. and 6:50 p.m.