USA: American Airlines Opens New Routes

American Airlines launched 26 routes between 18 December and 6 January, with the airline’s Charlotte Douglas (CLT), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Dallas/Forth Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Phoenix (PHX) and New York LaGuardia (LGA) hubs all seeing new services.

The carrier has also begun a route from Las Vegas (LAS) to Tokyo Narita (NRT), although this route will only operate on a daily basis for the duration of the technology show CES 2019, taking place in Las Vegas between 8-12 January.

The route is also operated by Delta Air Lines during this period. Of the other 25 routes launched, six face direct competition. See how the FTWAs from Oaxaca and North Eleuthera compare to other entries from around the globe.

American Airlines launched a three times weekly service between Los Angeles and Buenos Aires Ezeiza on 19 December, with the first flight touching down in Argentina the following morning.

On arrival, a gift exchange took place, which was conducted by: Gonzalo Schames, Manager of Operations Argentina, Chile & Uruguay, American Airlines; Martin Eurnekian, President, Aeropuertos Argentina 2000; Guillermo Dietrich, Minister of Transport of Argentina; and Andrés Duncan Paterson, Sales Manager Argentina and Uruguay, American Airlines. No other airline operates the city pair.

American Airlines commenced flights between Dallas/Fort Worth and Oaxaca on 19 December, with a press conference being held at the Mexican airport on the day of the route launch.

Among those taking part in proceedings were: Juan Pablo García Luna Gutierrez, Administrator of the Airport of Oaxaca; Juan Carlos Rivera Castellanos, Secretary of Tourism of Oaxaca; Alejandro Ismael Murat Hinojosa, Governor of Oaxaca; and José María Giraldo, Director Mexico and Canada, American Airlines. The 1,765-kilometre route will operate daily.

American Airlines launched a daily service between Philadelphia and Mexico City on 5 July, with the US airport baking this fantastic cake to commemorate the new service, with the culinary masterpiece having been made by Night Kitchen bakery, a company with over 30 years baking expertise.

Seen posing with the route launch party showstopper are Olympia Colasante, VP Philadelphia Operations, American Airlines and Chellie Cameron, CEO of Philadelphia Airport.

American Airlines launched another international route from Philadelphia (PHL) on 5 July, beginning a daily service from the Pennsylvania hub to Mexico City (MEX).

The oneworld member will operate the 3,212-kilometre connection between Philadelphia and the Mexican capital daily utilising its fleet of A319s, with the carrier not expected to face any direct competition on the sector.

With this launch, American now serves two destinations in Mexico from Philadelphia, with it already operating to Cancun 15 times weekly this summer.

The USB3 carrier already serves Mexico City from Charlotte Douglas, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Miami. In total American will offer 97 weekly departures to Mexico City across its six routes from the US in S18.

American Airlines has commenced flights from three different hubs, all launched on 15 February. New A320 services from the carrier’s second-largest operation, at Charlotte Douglas (CLT) were started to Tucson (TUS).

Additionally, the oneworld airline kicked off a 2,403-kilometre link between Philadelphia (PHL), its fifth-biggest base in terms of weekly seats, and San Antonio (SAT), which is flown by its 128-seat A319 fleet.

Approximately 120,000 travellers fly between San Antonio and Philadelphia each year, so this new service answers the need for many travellers and is a highlight to our economic progress, said Russ Handy, Aviation Director for the City of San Antonio.

Finally, again on the same day, American began the airport pair from Washington Reagan (DCA) to Tallahassee (TLH), operated by its CRJ 900 aircraft. None of the new route trio has any direct route competition, and all will be operated on a daily basis.

American Airlines commenced six new US domestic connections on 3 April, with its bases at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), New York JFK (JFK), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Phoenix (PHX) and Washington Reagan (DCA) all gaining at least one new service.

Of the six airport pairs which launched, only two face no direct competition, namely the sectors between Phoenix and Amarillo (AMA) and Reagan to Little Rock (LIT).

The average sector length of the six services is 949 kilometres, with the distances ranging from the 150-kilometre hop between JFK and Philadelphia (PHL) to the 2,338-kilometre route from Dallas/Fort Worth to Oakland (OAK).

American Airlines over the past seven days has launched 27 new routes, of which 24 were domestic. The only international connections inaugurated included a weekly (Saturdays) service between Miami (MIA) and Bonaire (BON), an airport pair which began on 9 June.

The others were between Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and Calgary (YYC), plus Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Rekyjavik/Keflavik (KEF), with the latter two having launched two days earlier.

Of the 27 routes commenced by the oneworld member this week, only 15 are presently not served by another carrier. Of those which do face competition, 11 will go head-to-head with Star Alliance carrier United Airlines, including all nine routes introduced to American’s network from Chicago O’Hare.

The average weekly frequency of American’s new routes is 7.5, while the mean sector length is 1,627 kilometres.


Tourism Observer

PUERTO RICO: Visit Aguadilla, The Garden of the Atlantic

Aguadilla Garden of the Atlantic is a city on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a protectorate of the United States of America.

Aguadilla founded in 1775 by Luis de Cordova, is a city and municipality located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela.

Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo, the administrative center of the city. It is a principal city of Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian Metropolitan Statistical Area.

According to the 2010 Census, there were 60,949 people in the city. This represents a decrease of more than 3,000 from the 2000 Census.

The population density was 1,668.5 inhabitants per square mile (644.2/km2). There were 20,821 housing units. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender make up was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

As a whole, Puerto Rico is populated mainly by people from a Creole born on the Island of European descent or Spanish and European descent, with small groups of African and Asian people.

Statistics taken from the 2000 census shows that 83.6% of Aguadillanos have Spanish or white origin, 5.0% are black, 0.2% are Amerindian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 8.2% were Some other race, 2.8% Two or more races.

Aguadilla was the site of the U.S. military's Ramey Air Force Base for almost five decades. During this period, Aguadilla was home to the Strategic Air Command 72d Bombardment Wing, Heavy equipped with B-52s, an important strategic facility during the Cold War.

Though the infrastructure still exists, the airport was handed over to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in 1973. The aerial facilities are now controlled by the Puerto Rico Ports Authority and comprise the Rafael Hernandez International Airport.

The barracks now host the Faro Inn Suites, a 79-room hotel. The Officer's Club now hosts the Faro Conference Center, a 22,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) meeting facility.

The hospital is now the Courtyard by Marriott Punta Borinquen Resort & Casino, a 150-room hotel with a casino and the first Marriott in Puerto Rico out of the San Juan Metropolitan Area.

Ramey also hosts the University of Puerto Rico – Aguadilla Campus and the Friedrich Froebel Bilingual School (K-9). The High School became Ramey Job Corps Campus and the elementary school became the Esther Feliciano Mendoza Middle School.

Centro de Adiestramiento y Bellas Artes (CABA) since 1979 has been the only public school of arts in Puerto Rico (7–12). Ramey is also the site of the new Ramey Skating Park and a new mariposario or butterfly farm and the Ramey Shopping Center.

There is still an active part of the base that hosts the Coast Guard Borinquen Air Station. There are also other government agencies based at Ramey.

They include the United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs & Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine and Office of Border Patrol, the Fuerzas Unidas de Rapida Accion - United Forces for Rapid Action of the Puerto Rico Police Department and the Puerto Rico National Guard.

There is also a post office, the Centro de Servicios al Conductor - Driver's Services Center, a bakery, and a Banco Popular de Puerto Rico location.

The beginning of San Antonio Village was back in the mid-19th century. It was composed by 60 families. Originally the place where these families were located was known as Bajura de Vadi, place later to be known as San Antonio.

In 1918, as a consequence of the 1918 San Fermín earthquake, the village was totally destroyed by a tsunami. The families suffered the struggles cause by this natural disaster, due by the proximity of the village to the shore.

The residents of the village decided re-localize the village in a higher area further from shore. The new location was what today is known as Ramey.

At this new location prosperity was not to be delayed. Various leaders and commercial owners of the time, took a step to carry the village forward. Most of the poor houses disappeared.

The village's infrastructure started its evolution. Luis R. Esteves and Juan Garcia established the first two theaters in the area. A new was social club form, known as Luz del Porvenir or Light of the Future.

A new school system was the pride of the village because it offered them the opportunity to give their children an education without having to go 9 miles (14 km) south downtown. There was also a new bakery and a post office, among other facilities. At this time, the village also began its Patron Festival.

The clothing industry was a major source of employment.

In September 1939, some 3,796 acres (15.4 km2) covered by sugar cane, was expropriated for the military at the cost of $1,215,000, in order to build an air base that came to be known as Ramey Air Force Base.

Since the foundation, the village has suffered three expropriations as a result of expansions to Ramey Air Force Base. This expropriations delayed and ended the plans to turn San Antonio into a town.

Today, the population of San Antonio consists of approximately ten thousand people. It has a modern square, a Puerto Rico State Police Station, a coliseum, an industrial park, public housing, a baseball park, a public school system, shops, and many other, charasteristics of a small town.

Also, as a characteristic of a town, has a flag and an emblem. The creation of the flag and emblem was done by Roberto Roman Acevedo.

Aguadilla is located in the northwest coast of the island of Puerto Rico, in the Western Coastal Plains. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the north, the municipalities of Isabela on the east, and Moca and Aguada in the south.

The area of the municipality is 35.5 square miles. It is mostly plain, with some notable hills being Jiménez (728 feet) and Viñet (689 feet). It has only one river, the Culebrinas, which separates Aguadilla from Aguada. Also Cedro Creek which separates Aguadilla from Isabela in the north.

Aguadilla is part of the Porta del Sol touristic region in Puerto Rico. The Porta del Sol website highlights Aguadilla's beaches for surfing.

According to the Department of Natural Resources, Aguadilla has the most beaches in the island, with nineteen. Some of the beaches are considered among the best for surfing, like Surfer's Beach, Gas Chambers, Crash Boat, Wilderness, among others.

Because of this, Aguadilla has served as host to surfing competitions, like the ISA World Championship in 1988.

Other attractions of the town are Las Cascadas Water Park and the Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena, which is the only ice skating complex in the Caribbean.

Tourist Landmarks and places in Aguadilla

- Aguadilla City Hall .Originally built in 1918. Reconstructed after the 1918 earthquake.

- Banyan Treehouse. Wooden House around a banyan tree. Any of its parts touches the tree.

- Campanitas de Cristal Fountain

- Cathedral San Carlos Barromeo

- Christopher Columbus Monument. Consists of a cross originally made of marble. It also had to be rebuilt after the earthquake.

- Cristobal Colon Park

- El Merendero

- El Parterre Jose de Jesus Esteves or Ojo de Agua

- Fisherman's Monument

- Jardin del Atlántico Square

- Las Cascadas (The Waterfalls) Water Park

- Old Sugar Pier

- Paseo Miguel Garcia Mendez

- Punta Borinquen Golf Course. Is an 18-hole golf course, originally built for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

- Punta Borinquen Lighthouse

- Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins

- Rafael Hernandez Monument

- Rafael Hernandez Square

- Ramey Skate Park New

- Tribunal Supremo (Old Courthouse)

- Youth Fountain Juan Pon

Tourist Beaches in Aguadilla

- Crash Boat Beach

- Mix

- Tamarindo

- Survival Beach

- Surfer's Beach

- Wilderness Beach (Las Ruinas)

- Rompeolas Beach

- Columbus Beach

- El Canto de Las Piedras Beach

- Crash Point Beach

- Gas Chambers Beach

- Wishing Well Beach

Aguadilla has several annual celebrations and festivals

- Velorio de Reyes. Celebrated mostly in January, they are a religious ceremony held as gratitude to the Three Kings for some answered prayer. They usually consist of hymns, prayers, and other religious expressions.

- Kite Festival. Held in April, it includes kiosks, music, and kite flying.

- Fiestas San Antonio held in April

- Verbena de Corrales held in May.

- Beach Festival held in June.

- Festival del Atun. Celebrated in July, it is a festival dedicated to the fishing of the tuna.

- Festival de la Musica held in July

- Fiestas Patronales San Carlos held in October

Aguadilla is home to several professional and amateur sports teams. The most notable are the Aguadilla Divas of the Female Superior Volleyball League, and the Aguadilla Sharks of the Superior Baseball League (Double-A).

The Divas play their home games in the Luis T. Diaz Coliseum in Downtown Aguadilla from January to March, while the Sharks play their home games at Luis A. Canera Marquez Stadium from February to May.

Aguadilla also had a professional basketball team called the Aguadilla Sharks, that played for the BSN league. This team was merged into the Cangrejeros de Santurce in 1998.

Aguadilla is also a place where many famous baseball players originate from. There are plans for a future ECHL Minor League Hockey franchise for the city.

The city is currently home to a variety of industrial and pharmaceutical plants like LifeScan, Symmetricom, Honeywell, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Most of them are located at San Antonio Technological Park, the airport as Lufthansa Technik, while others like Suiza Dairy, Lockheed Martin and Productos La Aguadillana are located in Camaseyes Industrial Park.

Other industries that are based in Aguadilla are rubber, plastics, leather, textiles, steel, wood, machinery, and food processing.

The retail sector is also another source of economy in Aguadilla. Shopping malls like Aguadilla Mall, Aguadilla Shopping Center, Aguadilla Town Center, and others are some of the main commercial and retail centers of the city

Rafael Hernández Airport is located in the city of Aguadilla. In recent years, it has seen a resurgence as an international airport in the island, with several airlines planning flights to the US from Aguadilla.

You can fly directly from Newark via United Airlines, from Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando via Spirit Airlines, from New York-JFK and Orlando via jetBlue Airways, Rafael Hernandez International Airport.

Be aware, that these are major airlines which serve hundreds of destinations and as much one-stop flights to this Caribbean paradise.

JetBlue studied expansion for the 3 main airports in Puerto Rico, Aguadilla, Ponce, and San Juan and is the Airline that operates in all three airports. In the past American Airlines offered service to their hub in Miami from Rafael Hernandez Airport.

Miami, as well as other popular routes, currently lacks service from the airport. These markets include but are not limited to Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Hartford, and Baltimore.

These cities are home to some of the largest Puerto Rican communities in the United States, many of whom have ties to Aguadilla and the surrounding region.

From the airport take State-Road 107 South to Interstate PR-2. Exit towards SR-2R/Aguadilla Centro.

Blue Line offers service to and from all municipalities to the Public Transportation Terminal.

Interstate PR-2 at Rafael Henández Highway. Plans are underway for a new expressway, an expansion to existing Puerto Rico Highway 22 Jose de Diego Expressway from Hatillo and it will probably end at Puerto Rico Highway 111.

Walking along the roads of the city center, will offer you a great experience. This way you get to stop and try different foods, shop, and enjoy the beautiful bay views and beaches.

Publicos depart from the Public Transportation Terminal to all wards. There are different routes. These include Aguadilla-Borinquen, Aguadilla-Ramey, and Aguadilla-San Antonio. Price is $1.25 per trip.

Taxi service is available from the airport, hotels, and all wards.

Aguadilla is service by Interstate PR-2. I-PR-2 to the East connects it with Isabela, Quebradillas, Camuy, Hatillo, and eventually to San Juan via Arecibo.

To the South, it connects it with Aguada and Anasco. Other roads include State-Road 110 and 107 to Ramey. It is also connected by State-Road 111 to Moca, San Sebastian, Lares, and Utuado and State-Road 115 to Aguada and Rincon.

- Aguadilla City Hall or Alcaldia. Originally built in 1918. Reconstructed after the 1918 earthquake.

- Banyan Treehouse or Casa del Arbol. Wooden House around a Banyan tree. Any of its parts touch the tree.

- Campanitas de Cristal Fountain

- San Carlos Barromeo Cathedral

- Christopher Columbus Monument - This monument was built to commemorate Columbus' entrance to Puerto Rico through Aguadilla Bay. It consists of a cross originally made of marble. It also had to be rebuilt after the earthquake.

- El Crashboat. A beautiful beach with white sand and crystal waters along with a ship wreck at the far corner of the beach.

- El Merendero - A beautiful view of Aguadilla Bay and site of beautiful sunsets.

- El Parterre Jose de Jesus Esteves or Ojo de Agua. Historic plaza where a natural spring and former source of water for Spanish soldiers is located.

- Fisherman's Monument

- Jardin del Atlantico Square .A beautiful square with fountains and gathering spot of local merchants

- Old Sugar Pier

- Parque Colon. A public park with an enourmous tree house, fountain, swings, playgrounds, street vendors, and a typical Puerto Rican atmosphere. It is located across the street from the beach were the first Spanish ships landed in Puerto Rico and the park is were Christopher Columbus and the Taino were said to have first met.

- Paseo Miguel Garcia Mendez

- Punta Borinquen Lighthouse - Built by the United States Armed Forces in 1920 to substitute the one built by spain and destroyed by the earthquake.

- Punta Borinquen Lighthouse Ruins - Site of the old lighthouse built by Spain in 1889 and site of beautiful pictures.

- Rafael Hernandez Monument. A monument honoring world-famous composer Rafael Hernandez-Marin.

- Rafael Hernandez Square .This is the Main Square.

- Tribunal Supremo (Old Courthouse)

- Wilderness Beach. A beautiful beach with amazing Cliffs. It was once part of the Ramey Militry base. Here you can see the old Spanish ruins. And it's secluded location is great to escpe hge crowds. This beach is only accessibly on rainy days by 4X4 Vehicles.

- Youth Fountain Juan Ponce de Leon Park

Activities to engage in while in Aguadilla

- Aquatica Dive & Surf. A scuba diving, surfing, and stand up paddle boarding shop. You can sign up for lessons, certifications, and tours here as well as rent or buy equipment. Located on PR-110 at km 10.0, Gate 5 Maleza alta.

- Aguadilla Bowling Center. A bowling alley that features 18 computerized lanes, with a bar, cafeteria, and games-room. It is located off Interstate PR-2, at Plaza Victoria.

- Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena. The only ice skating facility in the Caribbean.

- Aguadilla Skating Park. Is a skateboarding facility located in Downtown Aguadilla.

- Caribbean Cinemas 6 - Aguadilla Mall

- Cristobal Colon Park - Family Park with kiosks, a boardwalk with a beautiful view of the city, playground, and a beach.
Las Cascadas or The Waterfalls Water Park - Many water attractions.

Among them the Crazy River, Wave Pool, and lots of slides. It is the largest water park in the Caribbean.

- Pro Bowl Recreation Center. A bowling alley featuring 8 computerized lanes, with a cafeteria and games-room. It is in Ramey Village.

- Punta Borinquen Golf Course. Is an 18 hole golf course, originally built for President Eisenhower.

- Ramey Skating Park this is the only concrete skateboarding facility in Puerto Rico located in Ramey Village a former Military Base.

- Zazones Creole Cuisine Restaurant/Lounge. Is the only restaurant in Puerto Rico that servers authentic creole dishes and to top, has a touch screen bar top.

Aguadilla is the commercial district of the region. It has four strategically located commercial centers along Interstate PR-2.

- Aguadilla Mall

- Aguadilla Shopping Center

- Plaza Ferram

- Plaza Victoria

There are also stores along the highway, in the downtown area, and along State-Road 107 including Plaza Borinquen.

Where to have meals in Aguadilla

- Amanda's Restaurant.

- Chris Restaurant.

- Cocina Creativa, Carr.110 km 9.8, Aguadilla,

- Dario’s Gourmet Restaurant.

- El Contrabando.

- El Pomodoro Restaurant.

- Faro Suites Bar & Grill.

- Golden Crown.

- Molina's Restaurant, Carr. #2 Km. 117.6 Bo. Ceiba Baja. Cozy atmosphere, good service. Extensive wine list.

- Mr. Mofongo Restaurant.

- Molina Restaurant, Carr.2 km.17.6, Aguadilla.

- Novecento Italian Bistro (Pizza, Pasta, Trendy Bar), Calle Agustan Stahl #61, Aguadilla. Hip and trendy pizzeria and a bar where the locals meets.

- One Ten Thai, Road 110 Outside Gate 5, Ramey Base. Wednesday-Sunday, 5pm-10pm. A small restaurant with a large client base, started out as an experimental take out from a private residence on weekends.

The popularity grew and so did the concept. They serve mostly thai and southeast asian food, with lots of veggies, fresh herbs and vibrant flavors.

- Restaurant Verde Luz.

- Rosalinda’s Restaurant.

- Santiago's Pizzaria.

- Ta-Buren Restaurant.

- Tasca de Guillo.

- Terramar.

- The Garden Restaurant.

- Tres Amigos, IHP Hotel El Faro

- Woodhaven Restaurant & Grill.

- Zazones Creole Cuisine Restaurant/Lounge it is the only restaurant in Puerto Rico that serves authentic creole dishes and to top, has a touch screen bar top.), ((2066.5 Avenida Pedro Albizu Campos Suite 6.

- Desecheo Restaurant (Local Food), PR 107 Pedro Albizu Campos Road. 11:00 am-11:00 pm. Authentic local food, fresh seafood and steaks in a cozy athmosphere. Open daily.

- Boca Loca Restaurant, serving Latin american Cuisine, 51 Stahl Street, Aguadilla Downtown. 11:00 am-11:00 pm. Specialists in Peruvian, Argentinian, Cuban, Puertorrican and Mexican cuisine. Cocktail lounge.

There are numorous bars and clubs all over the area.

- Black & White Lounge: 110 street, outside the Gate 5 of the Ramey Base.

- Novecento Italian Bistro a Trendy Bar & Cocktail lounge, 57 Sthal Street, Aguadilla Downtown. 11:00 am - 2:00 am. Live music Fridays and Saturdays until 2:00 am. Happy Hours on Thursdays. Open daily from 11 am.

- Desecheo (Restaurant and Bar), PR 107 Pedro Albizu Campos Street. Best mojitos and margaritas in town. Local food, appetizers, beers and a full bar. Live music on Fridays from 7 pm.

Accommodations in Aguadilla

- Courtyard by Marriot Aguadilla - Now Open - Located in historical Ramey, is a hotel with on-site casino, water park, restaurants and shopping ammenities

- Faro Inn Suites. Located in historical Ramey, is a prominent hotel with beautiful beach views.

- Hotel Cielomar. Located in historical Cuesta Nueva Street, is a hotel with beautiful views of Aguadilla Harbor and the historic Old Sugar Pier.

- Hotel Hacienda El Pedregal

- La Cima Hotel

- Parador El Faro

- Hotel Las Cascadas

Other places to visit

- Aguada

- Anasco

- Camuy

- Haillo

- Isabela

- Lares

- Las Marias

- Maricao

- Mayaguez

- Moca

- Quebradillas

- Rincon

- San Sebastian

Aguadilla has its own police department, Policía Municipal Aguadilla (Aguadilla City Police Department), located in Aguadilla Pueblo. The A.C.P.D. only has jurisdiction in the municipality of Aguadilla and provide service and protection to local citizens and travelers alike.

Aguadilla also hosts the Puerto Rico Police Department Command for its Region. This region covers Aguada, Aguadilla, Isabela, Moca, Rincon and San Sebastian.

It also hosts the PRPD Highway Patrol Division for its region, the FURA Division of the PRPD, the US Army Reserve Center, PR National Guard, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Border Patrol. It is also served by another PRPD station in San Antonio Village (Precinct 203 Ramey-San Antonio).

The city has a single correctional facility, Guerrero Correctional Institution, operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

In recent years, Aguadilla has seen an increase in Type I crimes, which include murder, burglary, and theft.

Enjoy Your Visit To Aguadilla



Tourism Observer

MEXICO: TAR Airlines To Open New Routes

Queretaro Airline, TAR Airlines will close a successful fourth year of operations by opening three new routes, said CEO Rodrigo Vazquez Colmenares.

The airline has grown by 68% over the last 12 months, and expects growth of at least 30% over the next 12.

With its business routes already consolidated, TAR is now looking at leisure destinations, specifically the cities of Veracruz, in the state of Veracruz; Merida, Yucatan; and Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.

Flights from Queretaro will begin on June 18.

TAR also plans to increase capacity on its routes to Monterrey and Guadalajara, bringing the total number of daily flights to five for the Nuevo Leon capital and three for the capital of Jalisco.

We’re also going to have two daily flights to Chihuahua, a daily flight to Ciudad Juarez and a daily flight to Torreon, improving connectivity for the aeronautics and automotive industries, Vazquez said.

TAR will take delivery next month of its 11th airplane, a 50-seat Embraer that will be used for charter flights and tourism packages.

With these packages created in partnership with the most important hotel chains in the country we’ll have a product that is within reach of the consumers of Queretaro, Vazquez insisted.

Opening a new route to Texas was postponed following the change of government in that country, but discussions are under way with authorities in San Antonio and flights could begin before the end of the year, he said.


Tourism Observer

SPAIN: Ibiza, Locals Protest Against Unlimited, Disrespectful And Excessive Tourism, Gomorrah Of The Mediterranean.

Hundreds of locals took to the streets of Ibiza to protest against what they say is unlimited, disrespectful and excessive tourism.

The protest was organized by Prou! and took place on Friday with more than 500 people gathering in the Ibiza Town's main square, Vara del Rey.

According to Diario De Ibiza, this was the first mass protest held in Ibiza against the excess of tourism.

Locals are outraged by the exorbitant growth of tourism that has taken place in recent history.

Noise pollution and the privatisation of beaches remain a major concern for residents.

The director of Prou!, Àngels Escandell, attended the protest and read the group's manifesto:

We can not continue living exclusively from tourism. It is not that we challenge toursim, but we do challenge that it is unlimited, disrespectful and excessive.

They keep telling us again and again that we live from tourism, but we don't live well we live badly.

We can't call living having to endure the plague of uncontrolled tourism that periodically assaults our island, that initiates the season of deafening music, that brings the psychopaths driving luxury cars and the never-ending traffic jams.

Prou! goes on to describe how tourism is damaging the local culture:

We have created a monster that has devoured our language and our culture, as well as natural resources and the landscape, devastated for the benefit of a few by mammoth buildings and disproportionate highways.

The manifesto continues: The exorbitant prices of accommodation have forced us to substitute a specialized workforce, doctors, teachers and policemen for DJs and music promoters.

Just last month, the council in San Antonio passed a law declaring that clubs and bars in West End will now be forced to shut down by 3AM.

It remains to be seen how this new law and curfew will effect the San Antonio club scene.

Ibiza is an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Spain. It is 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the city of Valencia.

It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. Its largest settlements are Ibiza Town or Vila d'Eivissa, or simply Vila, Santa Eularia des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany.

Its highest point, called Sa Talaiassa or Sa Talaia, is 475 metres (1,558 feet) above sea level.

Ibiza has become well known for its association with nightlife, electronic music that originated on the island, and for the summer club scene, all of which attract large numbers of tourists drawn to that type of holiday.

Several years before 2010, the island's government and the Spanish Tourist Office had been working to promote more family-oriented tourism, with the police closing down clubs that played music at late night hours, but by 2010 this policy was reversed. Around 2015 it was resumed.

Ibiza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ibiza and the nearby island of Formentera to its south are called the Pine Islands, or Pityuses.

Ibiza is considered to be a popular tourist destination, especially due to its legendary and at times riotous nightclub based nightlife centred on two areas.

Ibiza Town, the island's capital on the southern shore and Sant Antoni to the West.

Night life in Ibiza has undergone several changes since the island's opening to international tourism in the late 1950s.

Origins of today's club culture may be traced back to the hippie gatherings held during the 1960s and 1970s.

During these, people of various nationalities sharing the hippie ethos would regroup, talk, play music and occasionally take drugs.

These would most often happen on beaches during the day, with nude bathing a common sight, and in rented fincas in the evenings or at nights.

Apart from this confidential scene, which nevertheless attracted many foreigners to the island, local venues during the 1960s consisted mostly of bars, which would be the meeting points for Ibicencos, ex-pats, seafarers and tourists alike.

The Estrella bar on the port and La Tierra in the old city of Eivissa were favourites.

During the 1970s, a decade that saw the emergence of the contemporary nightclub, several places opened and made a lasting impact on Ibiza's nightlife.

Four of these original clubs are still in operation today : Pacha, Privilege formerly Ku, Amnesia and Es Paradís.

These four clubs mainly defined nightlife on the White Island, which has evolved and developed from several distinctive elements : open-air parties at Es Paradis, Privilege, Amnesia, held in isolated places, eventually old fincas at Pacha, Amnesia, that mixed in nudity and costume party Es Paradis, Privilege, Pacha and enabled people from various backgrounds to blend.

The hippie ethos served as a common factor that infused all these venues and catalyzed the experience of a certain kind of freedom, accentuated by the holiday nature of most of the stays on the White Island.

During the 1980s, the music played in these clubs gained in reputation and became known as Balearic beat, a precursor of the British acid house scene.

As rave parties blossomed all over Europe, a DJ-driven club culture took hold of Ibizenca nightlife. It was the time when Space opened, thanks to Pepe Rosello, which found a niche in the after-hour parties.

Basically, the club would close at 6 AM and open again at 7 AM, when all the other clubs were still closed, enabling party-goers to flock from the other clubs to Space and continue dancing in broad daylight.

At the end of the 1990s, the after-hour parties held firm root on the island. In 1999, the Circoloco parties made their debut at DC10, with some of the original elements of Ibiza nightlife at the forefront.

Nowadays, during the summer, top producers and DJs in dance music come to the island and play at the various clubs, in between touring to other international destinations.

Some of the most famous DJs run their own weekly nights around the island. Many of these DJs use Ibiza as an outlet for presenting new songs within the house, trance and techno genres of electronic dance music.

The island has achieved renowned worldwide fame as a cultural centre for house and trance in particular, with its name often being used as a partial metonym for the particular flavour of electronic music originating there, much like Goa in India.

Since 2005, the live music event Ibiza Rocks has helped to redefine the Ibiza party landscape. Bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, The Prodigy, and the Kaiser Chiefs have played in the courtyard of the Ibiza Rocks Hotel.

The season traditionally begins at the start of June with Space and DC10's opening parties and finishes on the first weekend of October with the Closing Parties.

A typical schedule for clubbers going to Ibiza includes waking at noon, early evening naps, late night clubbing, and disco sunrises.

Due to Ibiza's notable tolerance toward misbehaviour from young adult tourists, it has acquired the sobriquet Gomorrah of the Med.

Also well-known is Cafe del Mar, a long-standing bar where many tourists traditionally view the sunset made famous by Jose Padilla, who has released more than a dozen eponymous album compilations of ambient music played at the location.

That and other bars nearby have become an increasingly popular venue for club pre-parties after sunset, hosting popular DJ performers.

The island's government is trying to encourage a more cultured and quieter tourism scene, passing rules including the closing of all nightclubs by 6 a.m. at the latest, and requiring all new hotels to be 5-star.

The administration wants to attract a more international mixture of tourists.


Tourism Observer

USA: Plan Your Trip To The U.S. Now Is A Digital Marketing Campaign In Mexico To Attract Mexican Tourists

A public-private partnership created six years ago to boost U.S. tourism has a message for Mexicans: We welcome you, even if it may seem like President Donald Trump doesn't.

After a drop in travel since Trump took office in January, Brand USA is launching a digital marketing campaign in Mexico this month with the slogan "Planifica tu viaje a USA ahora" -- Plan your trip to the U.S. now.

The goal is to convince Mexicans that Trump's vow to build a wall along the southern border, ban travelers from some countries and tighten visa screenings shouldn't keep them from packing a suitcase and heading north.

Nothing has changed about how our friends and visitors from Mexico plan their trip to the U.S. and how they enter the country, said Chris Thompson, chief executive officer of the Washington-based group.

We're really working on separating the perception versus the reality. There's been a lot of conversation, but nothing legally has changed.

The reason behind the push is simple: Mexicans are the second-largest group of visitors to the U.S. after Canadians, and in 2015 alone they spent almost $20 billion.

But the task isn't easy. Anti-Trump sentiment and a weaker peso have already affected travel to the U.S. Air traffic from Mexico to U.S. leisure destinations dropped for the first two months of the year, according to Mexico's Communications and Transportation Ministry.

It's not that Mexicans aren't traveling; they may be headed to Canada instead.

Airports in Miami, Orlando, San Antonio and Denver clocked fewer visitors from Mexico City and Guadalajara in the first two months of 2017, while Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver saw a surge in traffic from Mexico's capital.

Brand USA's public money comes from $10 out of every $14 that travelers under the U.S. Visa Waiver Program pay to register every two years.

That money is set aside in a tourism trust fund, Thompson said, of which the organization takes $100 million each year and matches it with private funds from its partners.

The federal government provides the seed money but requires us to make sure that we match every federal dollar with a private dollar, Thompson said.

This fiscal year, the budget stands at $165 million, which will be deployed in similar campaigns in 40 different markets, he said.

Some of Brand USA's board members include Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson; Kyle Edmiston, Louisiana's tourism director; and Rossi Ralenkotter, president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Board members are appointed by the U.S. secretary of commerce in consultation with the secretary of state and the secretary of homeland security, according to the organization's website.

The Brand USA marketing campaign could be welcome news for Mexican airlines, which had a tough first quarter. Grupo Aeromexico SAB posted a net loss and retired additional aircraft, and Controladora Vuela Cia. de Aviacion, or Volaris, missed estimates.

Regarding uncertainty in immigration policy in the U.S., we saw some softness, said Andres Conesa, CEO of Aeromexico, in an April 26 investor call. The quarter was very challenging for the Mexican aviation industry.

Volaris also saw its first-quarter results slide, which the company attributed in part to "the U.S. discussions on travel bans, talks about stricter passenger-screening methods" as well as visa and migratory-status debates, CEO Enrique Beltranena said in a call with investors.

Mexico is a hugely important market to the U.S., Thompson said. Nothing about what makes the U.S. a compelling place to visit has changed.

MEXICO: Hurricane Patricia Weakening In The Mountains

The latest on Hurricane Patricia, a Category 5 storm that made landfall Friday in southwestern Mexico (all times local):

10:20 p.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Hurricane Patricia has weakened to barely a Category 4 storm, with sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph).

The storm made landfall Friday evening on Mexico's Pacific coast as a monstrous Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (270 kph).

But it is rapidly losing steam as it moves over a mountainous region just inland from the shore.

Late Friday, its center was about 50 miles (75 kilometers) southeast of the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, where rain began to fall harder than it had all day but there was still no sign of strong winds.
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7:45 p.m.

Mexican authorities have received reports of some flooding and landslides after powerful Hurricane Patricia came ashore in a relatively unpopulated stretch of Pacific coast.

Mexican Transportation Secretary Gerardo Ruiz Esparza says officials have been bracing for the worst and are "not declaring victory" just yet.

Patricia's center made landfall in an area of Jalisco state with few population centers. The nearest big city, Manzanillo, was outside the extent of the storm's hurricane-force winds.

TV news reports from the coast show some toppled trees and lampposts and flooded streets.

Patricia's projected path now takes it over a mountainous region dotted with isolated hamlets that are at risk for mudslides and flash floods.
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6:35 p.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Hurricane Patricia's eye has made landfall on Mexico's southwestern Pacific Coast.

The center said the storm had estimated winds of 165 mph (270 kph) when it touched land near Cuixmala. That's still a Category 5 hurricane.

The location is about 55 miles (85 kilometers) west-northwest of the port city of Manzanillo.

Forecasters say the storm is capable of "potentially catastrophic" damage.

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4:50 p.m.

Mexico's top-flight soccer league is postponing a weekend match in Guadalajara due to Hurricane Patricia, the powerful Category 5 storm heading for a Friday landfall on the country's Pacific Coast.

The league says via Twitter that Saturday's match between the city's Chivas and Atlas clubs will be played Nov. 11 instead.

Guadalajara is the capital of Jalisco state, one of several in the path of the monster storm.

Forecasts indicate Patricia will likely pass to the west of the city, perhaps still at hurricane strength.

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4:10 p.m.

Hurricane Patricia's center is now located about 60 miles (95 kilometers) west of Manzanillo, Mexico, and about 110 miles (175 kilometers) south-southeast of Cabo Corrientes.

The storm's maximum sustained winds have eased slightly from 200 mph (325 kph) to near 190 mph (305 kph), but it's still a monster Category 5 hurricane. Patricia is moving north-northeast at 14 mph (22 kph).

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Patricia is expected to remain "extremely dangerous" through landfall in the coming hours.

Afterward, Patricia is expected to rapidly weaken over the mountains of Mexico.

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3:20 p.m.

Carla Torres and her extended family arrived at a Red Cross shelter in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in the afternoon, afraid they wouldn't be safe from Hurricane Patricia in her home.

Torres says reports of the Category 5 hurricane's record strength convinced the family they had to leave. The house is just two blocks from a river and sits on a corner that she figures is vulnerable to high winds.

In her words, "Here we are with those who can give us help."

Patricia is the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere and is expected to make landfall on Mexico's southwestern coast in the coming hours.

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3:00 p.m.

About 90 people are hunkered down in a Red Cross shelter in Puerto Vallarta as rain from Hurricane Patricia begins to pound the roof.

They include senior citizens in wheelchairs and young children snuggled between parents on mattresses on the floor. Many are anxiously kneading their hands or staring intently at nothing in particular amid the heavy, humid air.

Wendi Mozingo and six family members sit in a circle in folding chairs. They arrived from Austin, Texas, on Wednesday and had rented a beachfront house.

The family left a couple of hours earlier after the property management told them they had to get out. They brought a few changes of clothes and left everything else behind.

They were supposed to depart on Tuesday. Now Mozingo says, "We're leaving as soon as we can."

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2:40 p.m.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner says American authorities are closely monitoring the path of Hurricane Patricia and its potential impact on the U.S. citizens who live in the affected area.

Toner estimated Friday that tens of thousands of Americans are believed to live or be vacationing in the area that is likely to be affected by the storm.

He says U.S. officials are closely coordinating with Mexican authorities, and are advising American citizens to follow guidance by local authorities.

The U.S. Consulate General in Ciudad Juarez has established an emergency hotline to respond to inquiries regarding U.S. citizens in the affected area. Officials say contact information can be found online at travel.state.gov and at mexico.usembassy.gov.

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1:40 p.m.

A Portland man who traveled to Puerto Vallarta for a friend's 40th birthday has decided to ride out Hurricane Patricia rather than evacuate.

Brian Bournival says it seems the best decision because traffic is at a stop on the evacuation routes out of Puerto Vallarta and the road to the airport is a parking lot.

Bournival is expressing confidence in the construction of the hotel that's a few blocks from the ocean. He describes the pilings that the Pinata PV hotel is built on as "ginormous."

He and a dozen other guests gathered in a common area Friday morning; they have food, water and medical kits.

The others who came down for the birthday are in a different hotel, leaving Bournival alone with a giant cake he bought.

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1:10 p.m.

Hurricane Patricia's center is now located about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and about 155 miles (250 kilometers) south of Cabo Corrientes.

The storm is moving north at 12 mph (19 kph) and continues to have maximum sustained wind near 200 mph (325 kph), with higher gusts.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Patricia is expected to remain an "extremely dangerous" Category 5 hurricane through landfall in the next several hours.

Afterward, Patricia is expected to rapidly weaken over the mountains of Mexico.

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12:45 p.m.
View gallery

About 200-300 people are waiting at Puerto Vallarta's convention center for buses to take them to safety ahead of Hurricane Patricia's expected arrival later Friday in southern Mexico.

Miscommunication led several hotels to bring guests there. The building features large glass panels that could be deadly given the storm's high winds, and the center was not prepared to take them.

Steve Routson of Tacoma, Wash., had one more day left on his vacation with 17 friends who have been meeting up here for years. They rode out another hurricane in their hotel in 2002 but have kept returning. Staff from their hotel was at the center waiting with them Friday.

Routson said "they stayed with us every minute."

He added that they were being taken to a shelter on a university campus.

Haneef Mohammed of Portland, Ore., said he and his wife were Friday morning they had to leave and were sent to the convention center. They munched on tostadas and ceviche while waiting in a light rain for a bus, unsure where it would take them.

Their flight out of Puerto Vallarta Friday afternoon was cancelled. Mohammed managed to book another one for Sunday, but there's no guarantee.

"I don't think we are getting out for two or three days," he said.

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12:15 p.m.

Travel writer and blogger Jeana Shandraw is among those who are evacuating Puerto Vallarta as the powerful Hurricane Patricia bears down on southwestern Mexico.

Shandraw says via email that she was surprised by how calm people in the city seemed before she left, with many of them seemingly going about business as usual.

She's heading by bus for Guadalajara and reports congestion on the highway, with outward lanes clogged by cars and a steady stream of emergency vehicles heading the other way.
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11:40 a.m.

The head of Mexico's National Water Commission says Hurricane Patricia is heading in the direction of a spot called Playa Perula, a Pacific coast locale in the state of Jalisco.

The nearest city is Manzanillo, a bustling port in Colima state.

Commission director Roberto Ramirez says the storm's path can still vary somewhat, but officials now consider Manzanillo to be the city most at risk for Patricia's potentially catastrophic effects.

Patricia is now the largest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere. The storm is expected to make landfall later Friday.
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11:20 a.m.

Meteorologists say Hurricane Patricia's incredibly small 8-mile wide eyewall is likely to contract and be replaced later today — a normal process that often weakens a storm slightly.

But that may not be completely good news, because it would make the overall size of the storm slightly larger.

MIT meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel says "It's looking like a very bad disaster is shaping up."

Winds that restrain a storm are starting to pick, up so former hurricane hunter meteorologist Jeff Masters says Patricia may weaken a bit to winds of about 175 mph at landfall. That would still be a top-of-the-chart hurricane.

U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration atmospheric scientist Jim Kossin calls Patricia "a three-pronged hazard" that will likely wreak havoc with high winds, saltwater storm surge and inland freshwater flooding from heavy rains.

Hurricane Patricia is expected to make landfall later Friday on Mexico's southwestern Pacific Coast.
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10:10 a.m.

Hurricane Patricia is now located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and about 195 miles (310 kilometers) south of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico.

Patricia is moving north at 10 mph (17 kph) and continues to have maximum sustained winds remain near 200 mph (325 kph) with higher gusts.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Patricia is expected to remain an "extremely dangerous" Category 5 hurricane through landfall later Friday. Afterward, Patricia is expected to rapidly weaken over the mountains of Mexico.

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10 a.m.

Teams of police and civil protection are walking along Puerto Vallarta's waterfront Friday morning advising people to evacuate.

Daniel Garcia of Mexico's civil protection agency was dressed as a lifeguard in his red swimsuit and yellow poncho with a flotation device slung over his shoulder.

He says they are advising business owners and anyone else to move at least three blocks from the water's edge. Previous hurricanes have taught them that these streets fill with sand and flying stones. Most businesses were closing, but authorities are concerned because some business owners told employees to stay put as a security measure.

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9:50 a.m.

A top civil protection official says that three airports in the path of monster Category 5 Hurricane Patricia in southwestern Mexico have been shut down as the storm approaches.

Luis Felipe Puente Espinosa, national coordinator for civil protection, says the airports are in Tepic, in Nayarit state, Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco state and Manzanillo, in Colima state.
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9:30 a.m.

Millions of Texans face a soggy weekend and the threat of additional bad weather linked to Hurricane Patricia as the monster Category 5 storm heads toward southwestern Mexico.

Experts say remnants of Patricia could reach Texas within days.

The National Weather Service reported unrelated showers Friday in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Austin.

A flash flood watch is in effect through Sunday morning for DFW, Austin and San Antonio.

A coastal food warning was in effect through Friday night in Corpus Christi. Galveston was under a coastal flood advisory until Saturday night.

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9 a.m.

Only a few people have been seen going to shelters in Puerto Vallarta, where 14 schools and other buildings have been set up to house evacuees.

Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio told Mexico's Radio Formula Friday morning that officials are especially worried about the safety of people in the tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco state, and in the nearby community of Bahia de Banderas, in Nayarit state.

Osorio says, "We need people to understand the magnitude of the hurricane, it is a devastating hurricane, the biggest one ever registered."

He adds that the government has deployed soldiers and federal police agents to help out, but has provided no numbers.

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8:40 a.m.

The lobby of the Sheraton Hotel in Puerto Vallarta is bustling, with a long line of people forming to check out. More than 900 guests had rooms at the hotel the previous evening, but many wanted to get out of town before the storm arrived on Friday.

Sandra Rojas and her husband, a veterinarian from San Jose, Costa Rica, are among those getting ready to leave. After loading their cars, they are driving to the Jalisco state capital of Guadalajara to plan their next move.

"The hotel is saying that nothing is going to happen, but it's nature," said Rojas. "Anything can happen."

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8:10 a.m.

The director of Mexico's National Water Commission says that Hurricane Patricia is powerful enough to lift up automobiles, destroy homes that are not sturdily built with cement and steel and will be able to drag along people caught outside when the storm strikes.

Director Roberto Ramirez said Friday that the people in the most danger from the hurricane will be those on the coast, especially in the state of Jalisco.

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6:45 a.m.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami says that Patricia continues to be the strongest eastern north Pacific hurricane on record and is heading toward a "potentially catastrophic landfall" in southwestern Mexico later Friday.

Patricia is centered about 145 miles (235 kilometers) southwest of the Pacific resort of Manzanillo and about 215 miles (345 kilometers) south of Cabo Corrientes.

It has maximum sustained winds of 200 mph (325 kph) and it is moving north-northwest at 12 mph (19 kph)

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5:45 a.m.

The U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization says Hurricane Patricia is packing comparable force to that of Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 dead or missing in the Philippines two years ago.

WMO spokeswoman Claire Nullis says Patricia is evolving quickly and already "the strongest-ever hurricane to hit the eastern north Pacific region."

She says the hurricane is currently south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and on track to make landfall as a Category 5 hurricane later in the day.

Nullis says Patricia's winds — which are around 200 mph (325 kph) — are strong enough "to get a plane in the air and keep it flying."

WMO says Patricia's minimum central pressure is comparable to that of Haiyan, which leveled entire towns in the central Philippines in 2013.

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5:30 a.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Category 5 Hurricane Patricia is the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western hemisphere as it lumbers toward Mexico's Pacific coast.

Dave Roberts, a hurricane specialist at the Hurricane Center, said Friday morning that the storm is the strongest one they've seen in the eastern Pacific or in the Atlantic with maximum sustained winds near 200 mph (325 kph).

The Hurricane Center is predicting a "potentially catastrophic landfall" in southwestern Mexico later in the day.

Patricia is centered about 160 miles (255 kilometers) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and is moving north-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph).

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3:45 a.m.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Hurricane Patricia is the strongest storm on record for the eastern north Pacific as it moves toward Mexico's coast.

The Category 5 storm's maximum sustained winds increased early Friday to near 200 mph (325 kph).

The Hurricane Center is predicting a "potentially catastrophic landfall" in southwestern Mexico later in the day.

Patricia is centered about 160 miles (255 kilometers) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico, and is moving north-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph).

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12:30 a.m.

Hurricane Patricia, which the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami is calling a "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 storm, has gained strength as it moves toward the Mexican coast.

The Center reported early Friday that Patricia's maximum sustained winds had grown to near 185 mph (295 kph). The storm was located about 185 miles (295 kilometers) south-southwest of the port of Manzanillo, Mexico, and was moving north-northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).

The center said that on the current forecast track, Patricia is expected to make landfall Friday afternoon or evening in southwest Mexico.