Euro 0.64 - Argentina 3.04 - Bolivia 7.15 - Brasil 1.61 - Chile 501.39 - Colombia 1,713.63 - México 10.13- Paraguay 3.820- Perú 2.940 - Uruguay 19.20- Venezuela 2.14

The government approved an initiative from businesspeople proposing alternative airports in view of possible flight inconveniencies due to the Chaiten volcano. Neuquen and Puerto Montt will be the alternatives, and receptive operators will be in charge of transferring tourists to the city.

The Secretary of Transport gave the approval for Sky Airline to operate the route linking Santiago de Chile with Mendoza and Cordoba, although they are not able to sell tickets for the route between Mendoza and Cordoba, or vice-versa, due to the protective regime of local transport airlines.

President Tabare Vazquez and Martin Torrijos signed an agreement for the expansion of Copa’s air services as of December 15th. Vazquez stated his interest in Pluna beginning operations in Panama.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs informed that they may require visas from British citizens if the United Kingdom reinstates this requirement for Brazilians. British authorities informed that they may suspend visa-free travel agreements with 11 countries if  they do not find a way to halt illegal immigration in a maximum period of six months. The 11 countries are: Brasil, Bolivia, Malaysia, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Togo, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mauritius.

TAM signed a memorandum of understanding with Swiss International to begin joint flights and the integration of its loyalty programs in the second semester. The agreement is the Brasilian company’s second in less than a week in addition to the one signed on similar terms with Air Canada.

TAM has three new international routes

Beginning September 15th, TAM will fly the San Pablo-Miami route. In October it will inaugurate its frequency to Lima, and in December it will begin operating the Rio de Janeiro-New York route. TAM will continue with its plan to receive 4 Boeing 777-300ERs between July and October which will be used on the routes to Frankfurt and London, whereas another 4 will arrive by 2011.

The Directorate of Tourism and Ecology (Dirture) of the National Police began a program to advise foreign tourists about their security from their countries of origin found at www.pnp.gob.pe in the Dirture link. There, the police offer a series of recommendations for vacations free of any unwelcome surprises.

In the first July issue of the travel magazine in the Sunday Times, readers will find out about the 6 best train journeys in the world, among which the trip to Machu Picchu is highlighted. The mentioned trips are the Trans-Siberian Express (Russia), the Blue Train (South Africa), the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (India), the Caledonian Sleeper (United Kingdom) and of course, the services which link Cusco with Aguas Calientes.

Peruvian businesspeople will invest approximately US$ 10 million in the construction of a luxury hotel. Once the Paracas Spa Hotel has been built, the Brasilian hotel chain Blue Tree Hotels will be in charge of its administration.

The Sonesta Posada del Inca chain is finishing a phase of important renovation of its hotels. El Sonesta Hotel El Olivar finished remodeling its 134 rooms, as well as the lobby and restaurant. The hotel in Miraflores has 16 of its 28 rooms finished, while Posada del Inca Valle Sagrado has completed 64 of its 84 rooms, and will carry out relocation works for the spa and the breakfast lounge. The hotel in Arequipa finished redesigning 32 of its 58 rooms while the hotel at Lake Titicaca has 50 of its 62 rooms finished.

The Minister of Tourism, Veronica Sion de Joss, visited the regions of Puerto Lopez, Jipijapa and Montecristi in Manabi, where the Humpback Whale Watching Season 2008 began. The Minister highlighted the economic importance of this event as 23,000 tourists are expected during the 3 months in which the whales are there.

According to a source from Aerogal, “Negotiations with Avianca are progressing positively,” and the Colombian company’s proposal aims at acquiring more than 50% of the national airline.

In addition to seasoned destinations such as Cartagena, San Andres and Bogota, Colombia will also promote destinations such as Santander, the Triangulo del Café (Coffee Triangle), Bahia Solano and Nuqui. The diversity of locations, climates and cultures makes it possible for the country to offer options which include extreme sports in Santander, in the Andes region, eco-tourism in Bahia Solano, and Colombian gastronomy and history in the Triangulo del Café.

Copa plans to expand its operations in the Dominican Republic to include a daily flight to Punta Cana, to which it currently flies 5 times per week.

United announced the suspension of operations in Guatemala as of December 2nd, due to the crisis caused by the increase in petroleum. The sales manager for Central America and the Caribbean explained that rising crude oil prices had increased the high costs of operations, making it impossible to continue operating in the country.

Taca and Avianca expanded their Shared Code operation agreement, in effect since June 13th, making new destinations, more connection options and easier travel available to their passengers, and thus becoming the best and most complete option for travel between destinations in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Central America.

TACA will operate a new route between its hub in Peru and Guatemala. This new direct flight between the two destinations will be operated with aircraft from the Airbus fleet.

The local Ministry of Tourism informed that Spirit Airlines has postponed the beginning of operations due to the price of fuel. The airline had planned on entering the country in August, but Spirit will now cut out some routes.

Mexicana de Aviacion will resume the flight hours that it reduced in May due to the increase in fuel costs. “We feel quite optimistic about the summer season because we are seeing that reservations are looking very positive,” stated the airline.

Carnival festivities will be held from August 1st to the 10th. The celebration will be dedicated to the anniversary of several traditional groups, among them El Alacran, and the hundredth anniversary of the Componedores de Batea. In addition, the 70th anniversary of La Jardinera is also emphasized, another popular group which will be present at this event.

Through the ways of the wine you may known the cellars of Mendoza and enjoy excellent wines, that are the product of the Ecological Wine culture and have- all the red- and a high antioxidant capacity associated with different pholifenol amounts in its content.
In the last three years an important reconvention of vineyards, what allows Mendoza as the point of the ax of the Argentina, have a biggest amount of high quality wines to satisfy the increasing demand of the international market. In the mentioned period were implanted in Mendoza province more than 25.000 Hectare of new vineyards of fine varieties of grapes. . Read more…