Tourism Developments

THE BAHAMAS—JANUARY 24, 2012— Dive legend and businessman Neal Watson has been re-elected for another two-year term as President of the Bahamas Diving Association.

Stuart Cove, owner of Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas in Nassau and Stuart Cove’s Tiger Beach Safaris on Grand Bahama Island, was re-elected vice president.

Watson and celebrated marine artist, scientist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey joined forces last year to open Neal Watson’s Dive Bimini at the Bimini Big Game Club in Alice Town. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - January 25, 2012) -- At the 30th anniversary opening of Caribbean Marketplace 2012, held January 22-24 at Atlantis Paradise Resort Bahamas, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Josef Forstmayr spoke to the dirth of competition in the regional airline industry  that is stifling the tourism sector resulting in outrageous ticket prices and an ill-conceived network, lacking a true regional airline system. 

Addressing hoteliers, travel agents, tour operators and buyers from the regional and international community at the official opening of CHTA Caribbean Marketplace 2012, Forstmayr remarked that the CHTA estimated that in 2010, the Caribbean governments collectively paid US$45 million to secure airlift, only to find that the situation is still inadequate and way too expensive for visitors. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - June 15, 2010) -- The Cancun and Isla Mujeres Underwater Art Museum is a step closer to becoming the world's largest underwater museum.  Phase 1 of the underwater project began November 14, 2009 with the sinking of three life-sized sculptures.  

Created by British/Guyanese artist Jason de Caires Taylor, the sculptures were placed near natural reefs and marine life in order to create an artificial habitat. 

The sculptures have been created with PH neutral concrete that will allow algae and small invertebrates to flourish, boosting the local ecosystem. The appearance of the sculptures will change over time as the coral reefs and marine life grow. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - November 17, 2008) - Travel Mole.com - Tourism Concern has slammed CNBC International Property Awards for awarding what they call a “socially and environmentally destructive tourism development” two prestigious prizes. 

Says Tourism Concern: “Bimini Bay Resort, Bahamas, is threatening the livelihoods of local communities and has had a devastating impact on the island’s fragile marine ecosystem. The resort restricts people’s access to their land and marine resources. Coastal land has been carved up, the seafloor dredged and lagoons filled with silt to make way for luxury condominiums, a casino and ‘mega-yacht’ marina. The siltation of important breeding grounds has caused fish and conch numbers, which are harvested by local fishermen, to plummet.”  read more »

(April 3, 2008 - DTN) -- Hilton Hotels has added the new Dolphin Quest Village unit at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Hawaii. The three-building unit (designed to be “green” structures) will feature an “Encounter Club” and a learning center to enhance guests’ experiences with the hotel’s Dolphin Quest Learning Lagoon. read more »

(March 7, 2008 - DTN) -_ World travel and tourism is expected to generate close to $8 trillion in 2008, rising to approximately $15 trillion over the next 10 years, according to the latest Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its strategic partner Accenture. Overall, the new TSA results reveal a moderate impact on the travel and tourism industry as a result of the global economic downturn, with its annual growth rate experiencing a slowdown in 2008, to 3 percent, in comparison to 3.9 percent in 2007. The long-term forecasts point to a mature but steady phase of growth for world travel and tourism between 2009 and 2018, averaging a growth rate of 4.4 percent per annum, supporting 297 million jobs and 10.5 percent of global GDP by 2018. read more »

(March 26, 2008 - DTN) -- A recent decision to protect more than 98,840 acres of wetlands in Cancun expands the scope of tourist options at the destination, providing a special attraction for nature lovers and extra protection against the hurricanes that threaten the city’s beaches year after year.

The so-called “Nichupte Mangrove Swamps” Flora and Fauna Protection Area covers a total of approximately 10,511 acres of wetlands that are contiguous to Cancun’s hotel zone and make up a territory equivalent to 50 percent of the current developed area of Mexico’s leading tourist destination.

The wetlands not only will protect the coasts against the effects of storms and hurricanes but also will reduce the level of organic and inorganic material and contaminants in the water, generating environmental conditions favorable to the development of biological systems, as well as protecting and reducing the natural and human impact on other ecosystems. Visit cancun.info

** This RSS Feed is brought to you by www.DiveTravelNewswire.com **

(March 11, 2008 - DTN) -- Construction of a new road from the South Florida mainland (Florida City) to the Florida Keys is on schedule and the Keys portion of the $300 million project should open to traffic before summer 2008, according to transportation officials. The 1.4-mile-long, 65-foot-high concrete and steel bridge over Jewfish Creek in Key Largo is expected to be ready to accommodate one lane of traffic in each direction, as is the entire section of road from the Miami-Dade County/Monroe County border at mile marker 113 to the bridge. read more »