The fifteenth edition of MITM Americas, Meetings and Incentive Travel Market, was successfully held in the Melia Cohiba Hotel in Havana, Cuba, November 18th and 19th.

For MITM, held since 15 years ago throughout Europe, North Africa and South, Central and North America, the success of this edition in Havana was not a surprise, attracting important users and buyers of incentive travel, conferences, congresses and events from all Europe and the United States, forcing to close the visitors’ registration 3 months before MITM’s dates, proving that Cuba is an attractive destination for congresses, events and incentive travel.

ARIA Resort & Casino (opening 16th of December, 2009) will be a fusion of energy, inspiration and vision, featuring an unprecedented combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service and spectacular amenities. Even in a city such as Las Vegas, with its extraordinary history of dynamic cutting-edge developments, ARIA will be demonstrably different than anything that has preceded it.

Air Berlin: First approval for GLS approaches worldwide

Air Berlin is the world’s first airline to receive LBA (German Federal Aviation Office) approval for employing GLS (GPS landing system) technology on its flights. This satellite technology is already being used successfully in vehicle navigation devices and mobile telephones, and Air Berlin has been running trials since 2008. In future the airline will also be able to use it for normal flight operations. This makes the second largest German airline an international trailblazer.

Thailand-based Absolute Hotel Services has signed a management contract for a new resort in Bali. The new build 102-suite U Paasha Seminyak Bali is scheduled to open by August 2010.

U Paasha Seminyak Bali, which will feature 94 suites of 56 sqm and 8 penthouse suites of 70110 sqm, is located in a prime location of Seminyak with night and beach life close by. The suites will offer guests free Wi-Fi Internet connections in the rooms and throughout the hotel.

The attached speech is the content of an announcement made in New York regarding AIBTM 2011. Vanessa Cotton, Chair Reed Travel Exhibitions Meetings and Incentives Events was highlighting the support from the industry’s leading associations and outlining how AIBTM will reflect the needs of the US market.

Qatar Airways continued its award-winning streak as the Five-Star-ranked carrier was named World’s Leading Airline – Business Class for the second year running.

Almost 1,000 decision makers from the global travel and tourism industry gathered for the 16th World Travel Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in central London.

Qatar Airways once again beat stiff competition to win the title as decided by thousands of travel professionals from over 180,000 travel agencies, transport companies and tourism organisations in over 160 countries worldwide.