Former Tourism Minister shot
December 12, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Rosa Luz Alegria, Tourism Minister 1979-1982, is in intensive care at a Mexico City hospital. She was shot December 7 at her home near Cuernavaca, apparently during a kidnapping attempt. Ms. Alegria, 59, was daughter-in-law to President Luis Echeverria (1970-1976) until her divorce. She later served President Jose Lopez Portillo (1976-1982), and became the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet.  Kidnapping occurs with increasing frequency in Mexico, and has led to a movement to restore the death penalty.

Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell

Mexico Travel News

Artificial reefs along the Pacific coast

Concrete spheres designed to simulate reefs are being sunk off the coasts of Acapulco, Ixtapa and other points in Guerrero. They are expected to serve as havens for various forms of marine life and increase biodiversity. This, in turn, will make the shores more attractive for snorklers and scuba divers. In the past, warships and other vessels have been sunk, but these boats often tend to contaminate the sea.

Hard landings

Parasailing can be lethal along the Maya Riviera, and probably elsewhere, too. Customers float beneath a parachute pulled by a speedboat and most return safely to earth. Two tourists have been killed so far this year, and several others have been injured. They pay their own medical—or funeral—bills. 

While authorities are concerned about these accidents, they told La Reforma newspaper they simply do not have the manpower to police the seventy-mile-long corridor that is the Maya Riviera. Hotels post signs advising guests that they—the hotels—have no authority or control over what goes on along the beaches, which are federal property. 

Parasailing can be operated by anyone with a speedboat and a parachute. Usually several individuals are involved as a cooperative. Only 4 are legally registered, although scores provide the service.

Mexico showcases its art destinations

The Mexico Tourism Board will promote Mexico’s art centers and cultural destinations during the first edition of the Bridge Art Fair Miami 2008, an independent art exhibition of new and emerging Latin-American Art. Bridge Art Fair takes place during the renowned Art Basel in Miami Beach at the Catalina Hotel.

Mexico’s artistic and cultural offerings are well known in international art spheres. The booth at the Latin American Bridge will promote Mexico City, one of the cities with the highest number of world class museums and galleries; our own San Miguel de Allende, home to artists from all over the world; and Oaxaca, a city that in recent years has experienced a boom in the art gallery business. 

This cultural event will gather over 60 art galleries and will attract more than 1500 visitors interested in contemporary Latin-American art and art centers. 



International News

Venice faces worst flooding in 20 years

Venice could use a bailout. The city built on water has too much of it. Residents and tourists waded through knee-deep water on December 1 as they navigated the city's narrow streets and alleys, and its historic St. Mark's Square was inundated. One of the highest tides in its history brought Venice to a virtual halt, rekindling a debate over a plan to build moveable flood barriers in an effort to save the lagoon city from high tides.

Workers were unable to install the traditional raised wooden walkways used during flooding because the water rose so high the platforms would have floated away as well. In an ironic twist, the flooding also idled the city's waterbuses because their boarding platforms were underwater.

But there were no reports of damage to the city's architectural jewels and the flooding largely spared the city's art — which had long ago been removed to upper floors because of frequent flooding by tides. It was the fourth highest tide since 1872, when the city started keeping records. 

Venice's center-left administration was criticized for failing to prepare for the flood and for allegedly stonewalling a long-planned system of barriers that would rise from the seabed to ease the effect of high tides. The $5.5 billion project, called “Moses” after the Biblical figure who parted the Red Sea, has been under construction for years and is expected to be completed by 2011. 

British theaters set to reduce ticket prices

A British government reduction of VAT sales tax, beginning December 1, is allowing some English theaters to reduce their prices. Some shows will now be approximately 50 percent cheaper, but this only affects full-price tickets and booking fees. 

Sources: Mexico Tourism News, Mexican Tourism Board, USA Today, Travel Pulse Daily, Fare Compare, OSSN 

Judy Newell heads the travel company Perfect Journeys that specializes discounted rates for airfare, hotels, tours and cruises worldwide, as well as in luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at JudyNewell_03@msn.com  or go to her website www.PerfectJourneys.net.  



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