Travel News You Can Use
By Judy Newell

Mexico Travel News

Caesar evicted

According to reports from Tijuana, Restaurant Caesar has been evicted from the Hotel Caesar in Tijuana. So what? Well, Restaurant Caesar is where the Caesar Salad was first concocted. That, at least, is the claim.

Tijuana never made much of this, nor of the fact—or legend—that the margarita cocktail was first mixed in Tijuana for a dancer from Brooklyn named Margarita Cansino. She later changed her name to Rita Hayworth.

Famous during Prohibition for having what it claimed to be the longest bar in the world, the hotel on Avenida Revolución has become seedy and dilapidated. The restaurant failed to pull in customers and, according to the Mexico City business newspaper El Financiero, had its interior furnishings dumped out onto the street.

Posadas plans to grow

Best known for its Fiesta Americana properties, Posadas de México has opened its tenth Hotel One and has plans for a dozen more no-frills budget establishments. The biggest expansion will be abroad. The company plans to invest US$140 million in the construction of 14 properties in the US and South America. Posadas now operates 112 hotels, 95 of which are in Mexico.

Ritz-Carlton offers Mayan VolunTeaming program

The Ritz-Carlton Cancún is offering the Mayan Acquaintance Experience, a VolunTeaming program where groups meeting at the resort can team up with volunteers to help Mayan communities in need. The resort is partnering with Kanché, a local nonprofit organization, to offer the full-day program.

The Experience requires a minimum of 10 participants and a donation of US$115 per person for a light breakfast, lunch, supplies and roundtrip transportation. Projects with a higher impact on the village, such as building a playground, are available for an additional event fee. Profits go directly to Kanché to support sustainable development in Mayan communities.

Loreto up for sale

According to the financial daily El Economist, Foratur is ready to sell all interests in Loreto, its master-plan development on the east coast of Baja California. The sale would include a former Camino Real hotel, a golf course and a retirement home community where reportedly 700 units have been sold but not yet built. Six buyers are interested, including investors in two of the new low-fare airlines.

Loreto was one of the original Fonatur projects, along with Cancún, Los Cabos and Ixtapa. Fonatur is a federal agency charged with financing and development. After languishing for years, Loreto appeared about to fly when four of the five airlines serving the local airport pulled out and Alaska reduced its frequencies to three times a week.



Airline News

Aeroméxico expansion produces 30-percent increase

Aeroméxico has announced expansion of its North American operations has brought a 30-percent increase this year in US and Canadian markets. The airline launched service in San Francisco, New Orleans, Albuquerque and Denver (seasonal), and began its first service to Toronto and Montreal in 2009.



Deal of the Week

Bank of America’s free museum admission 

With the ”Museums on Us” program, Bank of America cardholders can get free admission to select museums across the US. Bring a photo ID and any Bank of America ATM or credit card to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Chicago History Museum or other participating museums and you’ll get in free!

Sources: Mexican Tourism News, Travel Pulse, Budget Travel, Independent Traveler

Judy Newell heads the travel company Perfect Journeys that specializes in discounted rates for airfare, hotels, tours and cruises worldwide, as well as luxury and adventure travel. Contact her with comments or suggestions at judynewell@perfectjourneys.net.