USA: Spirit Airlines Begins Major International Expansion

Effective Oct. 4, Spirit Airlines will begin offering international service from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to 11 new destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as three more domestic routes rolling out through the fall.

The announcement marks one of the largest expansions in the airline’s history and includes service to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

With this announcement, Spirit will now provide additional service from Orlando to eight countries and two U.S. territories.

It comes just days after the airline announced new routes from Orlando to Asheville and Greensboro, North Carolina, as well as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Spirit will now provide the Orlando region with nonstop service to and from 38 destinations, with up to 49 daily flights across the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America.

We have been proud to serve Orlando for 25 years, and after more than doubling service last year, we are so proud to be expanding there yet again, said Bob Fornaro, Spirit’s chief executive officer.

Orlando is now one of our largest markets, and we have no plans on stopping our growth.

The region is not only a wonderful, family-friendly destination, but it is well-positioned to now serve as a gateway to the Carribean and Latin America.

Spirit Airlines has a long history here at Orlando International Airport, and today’s announced plans for more investment into this market are a direct reflection of that long-time business partnership, said Stan Thornton, chief operating officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.


Tourism Observer

BRAZIL: Samba Brazilian Dance

Samba Dancers
The Samba dance Brazil style is a tradition, a custom, the heart and soul of the music and dance throughout the country. It's a Brazilian dance with roots going as far back as the 19th century.

Samba is a lively, rhythmical dance of Afro-Brazilian origin in 2/4 time danced to Samba music whose origins include the Maxixe.

Samba is a dance authentic to black/African people in Brazil who brought much of their music and dance culture into Latin America with, them upon arrival into many Latin American countries. Samba music is very similar to and has been influenced by many Angolan music genres. It has also been influenced by many other Latin American music genres and dances.

The Samba music rhythm has been danced in Brazil since its inception in the late 16th century. There is actually a set of dances, rather than a single dance, that define the Samba dancing scene in Brazil; however, no one dance can be claimed with certainty as the original Samba style.

The Samba dance originated in Brazil, so it has been part of their culture for many years. The Carnival celebrates the Samba each year, but even throughout the year, you can find the Samba danced in nightclubs, streets, and in backyards. The dance and the music are just a natural part of the Brazilian lifestyle and culture because it crosses the classes and it brings people together.

It is said that Samba connects everyone in Brazil because the poor and rich alike dance the Samba. Some people believe that Brazilian Samba is more important and more ingrained into Brazilian culture than even soccer!

Another major stream of the Samba dance besides the Brazilian Samba dancing styles is Ballroom Samba, which differs significantly.

Originally the Samba was a solo dance, but over the years there have been some partner Samba dances that have evolved in different areas of Brazil.

The popular Carnival celebration in Rio de Janeiro is known for the dancing of the Samba through the streets. It's a very quick dance with a lot of fun rhythm that naturally makes your feet and body want to move. Dancers who are proficient at dancing the Samba are called Sambistas.

Samba no pe or samba in the foot is a solo dance that is commonly danced impromptu when samba music is played. The basic movement involves a straight body and a bending of one knee at a time. The feet move very slightly - only a few inches at a time. The rhythm is 2/4, with 3 steps per measure. It can be thought of as a step-ball-change.

It can be described calling it and-a-one, and-a-two, then back to one. The basic movement is the same to either side, where one foot moves to the outside lifting up just before the first beat i.e. the right leg moves slightly to the right and leg is kept as straight as a pole. The other foot moves slightly towards the front, and closer to the first foot.

The second leg bends lightly at the knee so that the left side of the hip lowers and the right side appears to move higher. The weight is shifted to this inside foot briefly for the next and-a, then shifted back to the outside foot on the two, and the same series of actions is repeated towards the other side.

The dance simply follows the beat of the music and can go from average pace to very fast. Men dance with the whole foot on the ground while women, often wearing heels, dance just on the balls of the foot. Professionals may change the steps slightly, taking 4 steps per measure instead of 3, and often add various arm movements depending on the mood of the music.

There are also regional forms of the dance in Brazil where the essential steps are the same, but because of a change in the accent of the music people will dance similar movements to the slightly changed accents.

For instance, in Bahia the girls tend to dance tilting their legs towards the outside instead of keeping their knees close to each other as in Rio de Janeiro.

This is the type of Samba one sees in the Brazilian Carnival parades and in other Samba carnivals over the world. This is also one of the most common type of samba dancing in Brazil.

Samba de Gafieira is a partner dance considerably different from the Ballroom Samba. It appeared in the 1940s and it gets its name from the gafieira, popular urban nightclubs of Rio de Janeiro at that time.

The dance derived from the Maxixe and followed the arrival of the Choro another samba musical style. It left most of the Maxixe's Polka elements behind but maintained the entwined leg movements of the Argentine tango, although adopting a more relaxed posture than the latter.

Many see this form of Samba as a combination of Waltz and Tango. Several Brazilian dance studios use elements and techniques from these two dances to teach Samba de Gafieira steps and dance routines.

Samba Pagode is another Samba partner dance that resembles the Samba de Gafieira but has less acrobatic movements and tend to be more intimate. It became a dance style after the appearance of the Pagode and it started in the city of Sao Paulo.

Samba Axe is a solo dance that started in 1992 during the Brazilian Carnival season in Bahia when the Axe rhythm replaced the Lambada. For years it became the major type of dance for the North east of Brazil during the holiday months. The dance is completely choreographed and the movements tend to mimic the lyrics.

It's a very energetic kind of dance that mixes elements of Samba no pe and aerobics and because of the lyrics, which are made for entertainment, the dance generally has some sort of ludic element.

Several Axé music groups such as "E o Tchan" have as part of their marketing strategy to always release a choreography together with every one of their songs; therefore, Samba Axe is an ever-changing kind of dance with no commitment to maintaining any formal set of steps or routines there's actually no such a thing as a basic step in Samba Axe.

Samba Reggae, Also originated from Bahia, it's a mix of reggae beats with Samba drums. Very popular in songs by Daniela Mercury, who catapulted the rhythm to the world with songs like Sol da Liberdade "O Reggae E O Mar" and "Perola Negra".

Samba Reggae is the second most popular samba style in Bahia, with followers all over Brazil.

Samba rock is a playful form of the samba, and it originates in Sao Paulo. It is a Latin nightclub dance.

Samba de roda or Samba of roda, is a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance performed originally as informal fun after a Candomble ceremony, using the same percussion instruments used during the religious ceremony. The typical drum is the atabaque; drummers improvise variations and elaborations on common patterns, accompanied typically by singing and clapping as well as dancing.

The Samba de Roda is a celebratory event incorporating music, choreography and poetry.

The term Samba encompassed many different rhythms, tunes, drumming and dances of various periods and areas of the Brazilian territory. It appeared in the state of Bahia, more specifically in the region of Reconcavo in Brazil, during the 17th century.

Because all drumming and dance was generalized by Portuguese colonizers as samba, it is difficult to attribute it to one distinct heritage. However, the most universally recognized cultural origin of Samba is Lundu, a rhythm that was brought to Brazil by the Bantu slaves from Africa.

Lundu reveals, in a way, the amalgamation of black slaves and white Portuguese and indigenous cultures. When the African slaves where imported, it was named the semba and with the introduction of the Arabic Pandeiro (tambourine), brought into the Roda by the Portuguese, the Samba was molded into the form of dance it is now.

In the indigenous language, samba means roda de dança, or a circle to dance since the indigenous peoples danced in celebration on many occasions, such as the celebration of popular Catholic festivals, Amerindian or Afro-Brazilian religious ceremonies, but was also practiced at random.

All participants, including beginners, are invited to join the dance and observe as well as imitate. Usually, only the women dance after each other and they are surrounded by others dancing in a circle and clapping their hands.

The choreography is often spontaneous and is based on movements of the feet, legs and hips. One of the most typical moves is the umbigada which is clear Bantu influence, where the dancer invites her successor into the circle's center.

Rapid steps coming down on the quarter beats of the music along with a sensual rocking and swaying motion of the people dancing the Samba are the two distinctive characteristics of the Samba dance.

There is also a special movement called the Samba bounce action that is associated only with the Samba. It takes quite a bit of practice to master this step and make it appear effortless. It's a dance step that appears to originate through the knees and ankles and move the body effortlessly, and is the signature move of the Samba dance.

steps attributed to the Samba include:

- The Samba Strut

- Bota Fogos

- Samba Side Steps

- Voltas

- Kick Change

These basic footwork moves are centered on the three-step move that includes a knee lift and alternating feet moving in a fast-fast-slow rhythm. Sambistas make the moves appear effortless, as if their feet are simply floating across the floor. It's really something to see!

The end of the Samba dance Brazil style is signified by the dancers tossing their heads back dramatically and then putting their arms straight out from both sides of the body. That's how you know the Samba has finished!

The factor that frequently draws the attention of most people to the rhythm is the unusually-accented or syncopated beat. The absent beat is the strongest characteristic of Samba prompting the listener to dance to fill the gap with her/his body movements. This syncopated rhythm is also an indication of Black resistance against cultural assimilation.

The Samba of Roda in particular was considered an expression of freedom and identity of the underprivileged and became a means of liberation.

The Samba de Roda has significantly waned during the twentieth century due to economic decline and increased poverty in the region. The effects of mass media and competition from popular modern music have also devalued this tradition among the younger generation.

Finally, the weakening of the Samba de Roda was heightened through the aging of practitioners and demise of those who made the musical instruments.


Tourism Observer

USA: American Airlines Flying To Cancun

American Airlines is making more inroads south of the border. On Thursday, the airline announced four new routes to Cancun International Airport (CUN), set to debut on March 5, 2016 from Pittsburgh (PIT), Nashville (BNA), Kansas City (MCI), and Raleigh-Durham (RDU).

The carrier will operate once weekly, Saturday-only service from the four cities, USA Today reports. The flight from Kansas City will feature a Boeing 737, while the other three will sport Airbus 319’s.

All of the flights are scheduled to depart the United States at approximately 7:00 am, spend about an hour on the ground in Cancun, and then make the return trip. American anticipates beginning to sell tickets in mid-November, with the new routes still facing formal approval from regulators.

Art Torno, senior vice president for American Airlines, trumpeted the carrier’s strength in Cancun and in the Latin American region: “The addition of these four new routes gives our customers 12 locations to fly non-stop to Cancun,” he said in a statement. “As the premier carrier to Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America with flights to 85 destinations, these additions highlight our commitment to providing our customers with a network that is second to none.”

The move represents an interesting advance for American, which, jointly with now-integrated US Airways, previously housed large operations at each of the four facilities set to acquire service. Today, however, the airline offers few non-stop options from the airports and primarily feeds its other hubs. As a result, American will rely on purely local traffic to support these new flights, without the flow of connecting passengers from elsewhere across the country contributing to fill the flights.

American must believe that enough local origin-and-destination (O&D) demand remains to at least break even routinely. The airline may envision that its prior history at each of the four cities resonates with its customers, even after dehubbing, and that its former presence and the familiarity it affords could help drive some traffic.

Assuredly, American possesses internal data to show the number of passengers who currently connect at its other hubs to reach Cancun from these cities. It probably counts on many of those customers rolling over to the new flights, and potentially figures it can swipe a few more from other airlines as well with the lure of convenient, non-stop flights.

Cancun represents one of the most popular vacation hotspots in Mexico. It signifies a historically leisure-oriented travel destination, with most of its traffic resulting from personal rather than business trips. This generally bodes poorly for airlines looking to churn the revenue wheel, as leisure passengers typically expect lower fares. But the non-stop routes might actually spark some additional revenue for American assuming it can fill them sufficiently, given that most travelers will pay somewhat of a premium for the conveniences of direct travel.

In its statement, American points out the expected delivery of over 100 new aircraft within the span of a year. It would appear American plans, in part, to deploy some of that capacity to bolsters its current strengths in Mexico, in addition to ventures elsewhere and replacing older aircraft.

Reinforcing its position in Cancun could function as a play to the fluctuating value of the dollar. With a strong dollar, traveling abroad appears more attractive for domestic consumers. Other expenses associated with an international trip, such as hotels and meals abroad, become cheaper for Americans as the dollar appreciates, bringing down the total cost of traveling.

With an eye to currency valuations, the new flights seem targeted to travelers originating in the United States, rather than those beginning their journeys in Cancun. In this case, Cancun, which mostly experiences inbound leisure travel from abroad, probably represents a better investment opportunity than do some of its other Latin American dots.

The airline may rely less on an inflow of passengers moving in the opposite direction where the currency mismatch could create negative effects.

The new routes also interestingly place American in direct competition with rival Delta Air Lines, which maintains a sizable footprint in Cancun. Delta similarly runs Saturday-only non-stop flights on three of the four new routes introduced by American, also serving Nashville, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh-Durham.

Therefore, American’s new offerings represent aggressive head-on competition with Delta, dialing up the competitive heat in these three cities at least. Certainly, American must speculate that a relatively strong market exists for travel to Cancun if it’s willing to take on Delta directly.

A wave of consolidation across the airline industry has generally punished smaller communities over the past several years, bulking up hubs that survive the cut as carriers merge. But American’s new routes actually replenish a small bit of lost service in its former strongholds. Broadly, it seems that routes which perhaps would not fly under tight financial times are gaining some altitude as airlines reel in record profits.

Vacationers thinking of a spring getaway now have a few more options on their pallets. As a result of American’s new additions, travelers in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Raleigh-Durham may now say can-do to Cancun.

LATIN AMERICA: InterContinental Hotels Expands Across Latin America And The Caribbean

InterContinental Hotels Group continues to expand its brands across Latin America and the Caribbean, with 40 hotels in the current pipeline to add nearly 6,000 rooms in the region over the next several years.

InterContinental Hotels Group, the third largest hotel group worldwide in terms of rooms, confirmed its ongoing expansion in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Its regional portfolio increased significantly in 2016 alone:

In Mexico, IHG announced the arrival of the Candlewood Suites brand in Mexico and the continued growth of the Staybridge Suites brand in the country. Meanwhile, the operator signed two properties operated under the Crowne Plaza brand in Chihuahua and San Miguel Allende.
Two new-build Holiday Inn Express Hotels entered the Peruvian market.
The first Holiday Inn Express hotel was launched in Paraguay (120 rooms).
IHG is also set to debut the 227-room InterContinental Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
In Colombia, the opening of a Crowne Plaza hotel in Baranquilla will mark the group's 14th property in the country. It will be IHG's second hotel in the destination along the exisiting Holiday Inn Express (154 rooms).

By the end of 2017, the British operator will also open additional hotels across Mexico, Colombia, Chile, the Bahamas and Ecuador.

In June, IHG announced that it is investing $200 million in the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand in the Americas region.

The group currently operates nearly 38,000 rooms under six brands in Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean.

IHG ranked as the third largest hotel group worldwide in terms of rooms with 5,032 hotels totaling 744,368 rooms as of January 1, 2016

The Mandarin Hotel Group announced the strengthening of its portfolio in the city of Dubai. The opening of this second hotel is expected for the end of 2020.

Mandarin Oriental expects to open a second hotel in downtown Dubai. Located in the wasl Tower, between the 16th and 38th floors of the building (which counts 63 levels), the hotel will offer 257 keys (rooms, suites and apartments), two restaurants, two bars including one with a panoramic view, and a coffee shop.

Several event spaces will also be available, as well as a spa, swimming pools and a fitness center. On the upper floors, the group will additionally offer 144 keys at the Residences at Mandarin Oriental.

This project has been realized in partnership with the real estate management company wasl Asset Management Group.

The group already has a hotel in Dubai: The Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Beach (264 keys including 8 villas) currently under construction; its opening is expected by the end of 2018.

Mandarin Oriental’s portfolio currently has 29 hotels and 8 residences. The group belongs to the Jardine Matheson Group.

The Ascott Group continues to expand worldwide with the openings of two new Citadines residence hotels in São Paulo in Brazil, in 2017 and 2020.

The hotel residences owner-operator Ascott is setting up in South America with the opening of two new residences operated under the Citadines brand in São Paulo. Citadines VN Sao Paulo Gardens will open in 2017 and will offer 92 keys.

Citadines VN Faria Lima São Paulo will include 122 apartments and will welcome its first guests in 2020. Both will also offer co-working spaces, a gym and a swimming pool.

These two units will be developed in cooperation with the real estate company Vitacon, with which the group also signed an agreement to build a park of 5,000 keys operated under the Citadines brand in São Paulo. Indeed, Ascott said it wishes to expand its business in this dynamic region, especially for business tourism.

The Ascott Limited is a subsidiary of the real estate company CapitaLand and wants to develop 10,000 apartments in South America over the next five years with projects in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile.

As of January 1, 2016, Ascott International ranked 126th in the worldwide ranking of hotel and extended-stay chains, with 67 establishments totaling 9,639 rooms.

Tourism-friendly Destinations In Latin America

With over 41 million international arrivals in 2015 and an average growth of 5%, Latin America’s travel and tourism industry has incredible potential to help generate growth, create jobs and enable regional development.

But which countries are best positioned to benefit most from the industry? You might not be surprised to find out that beautiful natural sceneries like the Iguazu Falls and iconic cultural landmarks like Machu Picchu aren’t the only factors that determine whether a destination is competitive.

Every year, we release the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, which ranks countries based on a range of polices in place to enable the sustainable development of the sector. The report looks at factors such as how easy it is to do business in a country, specific travel and tourism policies, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources.

So which are the 10 most competitive countries in Latin America? And more importantly, what do they all have in common?

The majority of Latin American nations rely on rich natural resources and good hospitality (what we refer to as “tourist service infrastructure”) to appeal to tourists. They also tend to be internationally open, through their visa policies. Governments in the region realize the strategic role tourism plays in creating jobs (10% of global GDP) and support the sector proactively.

At the same time, the region shares some areas for development, such as ground infrastructure and the opportunity to better value cultural resources.

While the best-performing countries have many features in common, they each have their own specificities that set them apart.

Looking at the results, you’ll see that Mexico leads the way, ranking 22nd globally and toping Latin America. It is one of the most improved countries in the index, rising eight positions this year. The government’s prioritization of the sector and the great use of both natural and cultural resources have paid off.

To continue enhancing its competitiveness, Mexico should focus on making the country safer, and further commit to improving environmental sustainability and preserving its natural resources.

The Tulum Ruins on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, one of the country’s top tourist destinations

Brazil took the second spot in Latin America, ranking 27th globally. The country is blessed with the largest and more diverse natural resources on the planet, and strong cultural resources. Brazil also benefits from good tourist service infrastructure and air connectivity, while remaining a price competitive destination.

Unfortunately, the security and business context have worsened. The homicide rate remains high and the business environment continues to worsen due to inefficiencies in the legal system, red tape and high taxes.

At the same time, the sector has not received much governmental support, with little investment and marketing activity.
Christ the Redeemer, one of Brazil’s most famous sites

Argentina is another country in Latin America that made significant progress, rising seven places in the global rankings to reach 50th position. The country, which is already endowed with exceptional natural and cultural resources, has significantly benefited from improvements to its “enabling environment” – factors such as its labour market and ICT infrastructure.

Still, Argentina could better seize the momentum by investing more in the travel and tourism sector. Today, less than 2.5% of its government budget is invested in the sector, while the taxes and charges levied on tickets are among the highest in the world. Changing these policies could have a swift and direct effect on boosting the industry.

The Iguazu Falls, on the border between Argentina and Brazil, are the largest waterfall system in the world

Latin America Fleet To Double During The Next 20 Years

From 2016-2035, Latin America will require 2,570 new passenger and freighter aircraft, including 2,030 single-aisle and 540 widebody, worth an estimated US$350 billion.

According to the most recent Airbus Global Market Forecast presented by Rafael Alonso, President of Airbus Latin America and Caribbean, at the International Brazil Air Show, Latin America’s passenger and freighter fleet will surpass 3,000 in the next 20 years, more than double the fleet in-service today.

Fueling this aircraft demand is Latin America’s passenger traffic growth, which is forecast to grow on par with the world average by 4.5 percent annually until 2035. This growth rate takes into account the 3.8 percent increase traffic between Latin America and other continents as well as the 4.9 percent increase in Latin America’s domestic and intra-regional traffic in the next 20 years.

Latin America’s middle classes will also play a role in prompting growth, reaching half a billion people by 2035, more than double the number in 2006.

Rafael Alonso said: “There’s no doubt that solid long-term growth is in store for Latin America, and we see single-aisle aircraft leading the demand.

We believe the A320neo Family, already flying with Latin America’s top carriers, remains perfectly suited to deliver on future growth and efficiency demands in the region, given its superior performance and comfort.”

Alonso added: “In the next 20 years Latin America will also be impacted by the rise of low-cost carriers in key markets such as Colombia, Chile, and Peru.

This business model will impact market dynamics in the years to come, especially in domestic and intra-regional travel. Looking ahead, we also see a good opportunity for the region’s carriers to be more bullish on developing intra-regional routes, a space in which Latin America is less developed than other regions.”

In Brazil, where the aviation industry contributes over US$32 billion to the country’s GDP, fleets serving the country will require over 1,400 aircraft by 2035 to meet market demand.

This will be driven by an increase in Brazilians’ propensity to travel, predicted to double the amount of trips per capita, and the acceleration of traffic growth which is forecasted to increase by 4.8 percent annually in the next 20 years, above the region’s and world’s rates.

Low-Cost Airlines Boosted Global Air Traffic In 2016

Worldwide passenger air traffic grew again last year, albeit at a slightly slower pace, led by the dynamic growth of low-cost air carriers, the International Civil Aviation Organisation reported.

A total of 3.7 billion passengers were transported by the world’s airlines last year, a 6 per cent increase from 2015. That was just under the previous year’s 7.1 per cent rise, the United Nations agency said.

Growth was most pronounced in the Middle East (11.2 per cent), Asia (8 per cent), Latin America (6.5 per cent) and Africa (5.7 per cent), while it was slower in Europe (4.3 per cent) and North America (3.5 per cent).

Over half of the world’s tourists who travel across international borders each year were transported by air, the Montreal-based agency noted in a statement.

Low-cost carriers accounted for 28 per cent of all passenger air traffic. Passing a milestone, they transported more than 1 billion passengers for the first time. In Europe, low-cost carriers transported nearly a third of all passengers, slightly more than the 31 per cent in Asia or North America’s 25 per cent.

The increasing presence of low-cost carriers notably in emerging economies contributed to the overall growth of passenger traffic,the ICAO said.

As for scheduled domestic flights, North America accounted for 43 per cent of the total, up 4.3 per cent from the previous year, while domestic traffic in Asia was up 10 per cent, largely due to growth in India and China.

Increased traffic and significantly lower fuel costs helped boost airlines’ operating profits, which the ICAO put at US$60 billion for last year, some US$2 billion more than in 2015.

More than a third of the profits are expected to come from the carriers of North America, whose domestic market represents 66 per cent of their total operations, the agency reported.

World Travel Awards 2016 Nominees Unveiled

World Travel Awards has revealed the nominees for its Grand Tour 2016, with thousands of hospitality leaders from across the globe in the running for the prestigious titles.

Voting is now underway ahead of the Latin America, Europe, Caribbean & North America, and Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremonies, so make your voice heard by registering to vote here.

World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: “Revealing the nominees for our annual Grand Tour is always an exciting time of year for World Travel Awards.

“We have carefully selected the leaders in international hospitality, be that hotels, airlines, destinations, or operators, and offered our voters a chance to select the very best among them.

“Sign up now to make your voice heard as part of our Grand Tour 2016.”

Each year WTA covers the globe with a series of regional Gala Ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective successes within each key geographical region.

Each WTA Gala Ceremony offers unrivalled networking opportunities to members of the travel and tourism industry, with the events welcoming government and industry leaders as well as international print and broadcast media.

WTA was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

CHILE: 10 Romantic Trip Ideas To Lure You To Visit Chile

Chile’s well known internationally for its adventure tourism activities, for wonders of the natural world including the Torres del Paine National Park and the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. It’s also gradually becoming one of the best spots in Latin America to visit for its gastronomical offer, which is great news for travelers who love to try foreign foods.

However, Chile is also a great place to go when planning a romantic trip with the person they love. With this in mind, we’ve developed a quick list of 10 trip ideas that reveals the romantic side to Chile’s natural landscapes and cultures.

What’s more, Chile’s romantic panoramas can be thoroughly enjoyed whether you have a special someone to share them with or not. Watching the sun go down behind the historic Moais on Easter Island is an experience that will have you falling in love with our country in a heartbeat.

Enjoy!

1) Discover our vineyards during the wine harvest festivals in March.

2) Enjoy the sun go down behind the historic Moais on Easter Island all year round.

3) Rejuvenate your body and mind by relaxing in Chile’s thermal baths.

4) Plan a ski weekend in July or August in any of the ski resorts across the country.

5) Visit the Flowering Desert in the north of Chile and marvel at the array of flowers as they burst into bloom in the driest desert in the world.

6) Lose yourself in the beauty of our country from above. There are more than 2.000 volcanoes in Chile for you to climb, gaze at and fall in love with.

7) Observe the stars in the Atacama Desert, one of the clearest skies in the world.

8) Take a trip to the Torres del Paine National Park, the 8th Wonder of the World.

9) Visit the beach at Viña del Mar where you can combine sun, sand, surf and fine dining.

10) Fall in love with the mystical nature of #Chiloé’s churches, 16 of which are considered Cultural World Heritage according to UNESCO.

Chile is one of the 10 countries with the highest tourism growth in the world - Chile Travel Chile is one of the 10 countries with the highest tourism growth in the world 10 Romantic Trip Ideas to inspire you to visit Chile - Chile Travel 10 Romantic Trip Ideas to inspire you to visit Chile Valparaíso ranked one of the 50 most beautiful cities in the world by Condé Nast Traveler - Chile Travel Valparaíso ranked one of the 50 most beautiful cities in the world by Condé Nast Traveler Discover the birdlife on Chiloé Island - Chile Travel Discover the birdlife on Chiloé Island

USA: Alaska Airlines Flys To Costa Rica

New route celebrations were held at both ends of Alaska Airlines’ new route from Los Angeles to San José in Costa Rica. This four times weekly service was started the day before another destination in the country, namely Liberia, was served and again operated from the Californian airport.

Alaska Airlines started its first flights into Costa Rica, with four times weekly services from Los Angeles (LAX) to both Liberia (LIR) and San José (SJO). The former 4,228-kilometre sector began on 1 November, while 4,379-kilometre services to the Costa Rican capital began the day before.

Delta Air Lines is the incumbent on both sectors, flying daily to San José and thrice-weekly to Liberia from the Californian airport. Both routes are operated by the airline’s 737-700 fleet.

“As the most popular Central American tourist destination for US travellers, Costa Rica is one of the best places in the Western Hemisphere for adventure tourism,” said John Kirby, Alaska Airlines’ VP of Capacity Planning.

“With the addition of Costa Rica, Alaska offers up to 80 peak season weekly departures from Southern California to Latin America, more than any other airline.” Vote for Los Angeles Airport’s route launch cake.

MEXICO: Killer Of Jalisco's Tourism Secretary Arrested

Daniel Quintero Riestra

CJNG Guadalajara boss believed responsible for death of Secretary of Tourism - See more at: http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/cartel-boss-arrested-during-qr-holiday/#sthash.5KlY2mKg.dpuf

The man believed responsible for the murder of Jalisco’s Secretary of Tourism in 2013 was arrested Monday while holidaying in Quintana Roo.

Daniel Quintero Riestra was apprehended on a boat about five kilometers off the coast, near Isla Mujeres, said National Security Commissioner Renato Sales at a press conference yesterday.

Sales made no mention of Quintero Riestra’s gang connections, but he is believed to be a regional leader of the Jalisco Nueva Generación cartel (CJNG), based in Guadalajara.

One of Mexico’s 122 most-wanted, he has been linked to the assassination in March 2013 of Jesús Alvarez Gallegos, who had been named to head Jalisco’s Secretariat of Tourism just nine days before. He was shot and killed while traveling in his vehicle in Zapopan.

The CJNG leader is wanted in connection with at least four murders in Guadalajara — including that of a Venezuelan model — as well as kidnappings.

Alvarez Gallegos was active in construction and tourism, creating Mayan Resorts, one of the larger tourism and real estate developers in Latin America. His company, Jegal Project and Construction Management, managed more than 30 condominium developments in more than half a dozen Mexican resort destinations.