The story takes us back to 1542 when “El Mozo” as he was nicknamed, Francisco de Montejo founded Merida, a Spanish colonial city that exudes tradition in its streets, plazas and avenues, which belies its cosmopolitan reality.

Traveling south out of Cancun, on what is now known as the Rivera Maya, one parallels the beautiful Mexican Caribbean, and one and a half hours later, enters the town of Tulum. This enchanted town, formerly known as Zama (city of dawn) was used by the Mayans as a commercial port for Coba and surrounding areas.

Traveling south out of Cancun, on what is now known as the Rivera Maya, one parallels the beautiful Mexican Caribbean, and one and a half hours later, enters the town of Tulum. This enchanted town, formerly known as Zama (city of dawn) was used by the Mayans as a commercial port for Coba and surrounding areas.

Traveling south out of Cancun, on what is now known as the Rivera Maya, one parallels the beautiful Mexican Caribbean, and one and a half hours later, enters the town of Tulum. This enchanted town, formerly known as Zama (city of dawn) was used by the Mayans as a commercial port for Coba and surrounding areas.

Traveling south out of Cancun, on what is now known as the Rivera Maya, one parallels the beautiful Mexican Caribbean, and one and a half hours later, enters the town of Tulum. This enchanted town, formerly known as Zama (city of dawn) was used by the Mayans as a commercial port for Coba and surrounding areas.

Traveling south out of Cancun, on what is now known as the Rivera Maya, one parallels the beautiful Mexican Caribbean, and one and a half hours later, enters the town of Tulum. This enchanted town, formerly known as Zama (city of dawn) was used by the Mayans as a commercial port for Coba and surrounding areas.

Travel agents still giddy from the low airfares to Europe this summer may want to turn their attention to the upcoming winter season. Could this be the year to send your ski clients to Europe?

The first time I heard the word Aruba I assumed it was the latest trendy name celebrities were calling their daughters. But I soon realized it won’t be joining Fifi, Bluebell and Elbowgrease (OK, I made that one up) in my VIP column.

Focused on the MICE segment in Latin America, the second edition of the Business Travel Meeting (BTM) –held in Chile earlier this month- gathered a large number of travel industry companies and professionals from the country and all over the region willing to do what it takes in the face of the ongoing economic and financial crisis that’s sweeping the planet.

From a bird’s eye view, agents face one major challenge: the economy. But when viewed up close, that one issue fractures into multiple challenges: chasing prices, constant marketing and cash flow, among them.