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Tourists are cashing in on Argentina’s economic woes

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International travelers are flocking to Argentina, taking advantage of the poorly performing peso to boost the value of their holiday spending money, according to latest data.

Bookings for March to May are ahead 11.2% compared to last year. For South America as a whole, bookings are ahead 5.8%.

In the preceding year to February, international arrivals in Argentina were up 3.9%, compared to 5.5% for the entire region.

Europe and Latin America are the fastest-growing markets for travel to Argentina. There is also an increasing number of travelers from China (+21.9%) and Israel (+15.9%), among the top ten countries by growth.

Heading the list is Uruguay with bookings ahead 34.3% on last year, for travel between March and May. The UK is showing a strong 33.5% growth for the same period.

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Travel Leaders Network embarks upon major international expansion

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Travel Leaders Network, North America’s largest travel agency organization, in partnership with sister company Travel Leaders Corporate, has embarked upon a large-scale international expansion program to expand opportunities and provide enhanced service to corporate customers. To date, 40 major travel agencies from Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Asia have become new members of Travel Leaders Network. Many more agencies are expected to join over the coming months.

“We are creating a network of agencies that will serve as connective tissue enabling us to respond to larger opportunities both regionally and internationally,” said Roger E. Block, CTC, President of Travel Leaders Network. “These agencies, now backed by the scale, technology and tools available through Travel Leaders, are positioned to provide an even more customized, personalized and superior level of service to existing and new clients within their respective geographies.”

New members, some of which are among the largest corporate travel agencies in their countries, join several existing international members of Travel Leaders Network. Combined, the network now has agency representation in nearly 50 countries. Additionally, Travel Leaders Group agencies across the U.S., Canada, the UK and Mexico, inclusive of CTS (Corporate Travel Services), will play a significant role in the international expansion.

“Our plan is to sign one exclusive Travel Leaders representative in key countries around the globe. We are engaging partners who can offer a full portfolio of corporate, leisure and events services and are recognized in their country and by their peers as service-oriented, successful agencies,” said Block.

The newly-joined international members will have access to Travel Leaders’ comprehensive suite of resources. Those include online booking tools, a wide variety of marketing programs, the company’s extensive hotel program, including its highly curated SELECT Hotels & Resorts Program, international destination company (DMC) network and access to a vast array of education and training resources. Additionally, members will be able to support both international accounts and local customers through Travel Leaders’ end-to-end technology suite that provides profile management, online trip authorization, data consolidation and analytics, meetings technology and customer reporting tools. International partners will also have access to some of the marquee leisure programs offered by Travel Leaders Network.

“This expansion program is transforming both Travel Leaders Network and Travel Leaders Corporate into more robust international players with stronger abilities and reach enabling true multi-national account management based upon a highly personalized service model on an international scale,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of Travel Leaders Corporate. “Clients will be serviced by local agencies who are leaders in their markets providing premium corporate travel services supported by a vast array of technology. These innovative agencies are now backed by one of the largest travel agency networks in the world. We’re not a call center operation and neither are they. That’s our sweet spot and our competitive difference.”

Member support will be provided on a regional basis with key positions located in each region, including Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and Asia Pacific. “We have hired regional sales professionals in the areas of sales, operations, technology and account management to create a more localized support structure to best serve the needs of our international members,” Rizzi added.

Angeles Yugdar, Senior Vice President of International Markets for Travel Leaders Group, is leading the expansion efforts and overseeing the new regional team members. Kevin Brown, Vice President of International Sales for Travel Leaders Corporate, is also serving in a key role. New regional team members include:
•Carina Fernandez Grenno, Regional Partner Management Director, Latin America
•Susan Lancaster, Regional Partner Management Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa
•Pat Siow, Regional Partner Management Director, Asia Pacific

New international agency members include:

Armenia

Global Travel Club LLC

Brazil

Travel Leaders Brazil

Bulgaria

Jamadvice

Burma

Supported by Vietnam

Cambodia

Supported by Vietnam

China

Travelux Limited

Colombia

Trafalgar Tours SAS

Costa Rica

Rutas Aereas S.A.

Croatia

Supported by Serbia

Egypt

Travel Leaders Egypt

France

Marietton Development SAS (Havas Voyages / Ailleurs Business)

Greece

Kyvernitis Travel

Guatemala

Grupo Travel

Hong Kong

Travel Leaders Hong Kong

Indonesia

Travel Leaders Indonesia

Israel

Lachish Tours

Japan

Toppan Travel Service Corp.

Jordan

Dakkak Travel Agency (DTA)

Kuwait

KAPICO Travels and Tourism Co. WLL

Laos

Supported by Vietnam

Latvia

TAS Baltics Ltd.

Lithuania

JSC Vestekspress

Luxembourg

Select Travel S.A.

Madagascar

Arcadia Travel

Malaysia

Travel Biz & Tours

Mauritius

Arcadia Travel

Montenegro

Supported by Serbia

Netherlands

Business + Travel Group

Panama

International Meetings and Conventions Panama Inc.

Paraguay

Compania de Desarrollo Turistico SRL – Comdetur

Peru

Promotora De Viajes Nuevo Mundo

Romania

Aerotravel

Russia

IBC Corporate Travel International Business Centre Ltd.

Serbia

Travel Leaders Serbia

Switzerland

STC Travel Swiss SARL (Havas Voyages)

Thailand

Travel Leaders Thailand

Ukraine

Sky Travel Holdings Limited (Ukraine)

Uruguay

Travel Leaders Uruguay

Venezuela

Molina Agencia De Viajes C.A.

Vietnam

HG Group

The above agencies join Travel Leaders Network’s existing international members which include:

Bahrain

Cozmo Travel

India

Greaves Travel Pvt Ltd and Orchid Voyages Pvt Ltd

Ireland

Travel Management International

Qatar

Cozmo Travel

Saudi Arabia

Cozmo Travel

United Arab Emirates

Cozmo Travel

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Pope Francis appoints Tanzanian prelate to represent the Vatican in New Zealand

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Pope Francis has appointed the Tanzanian born prelate, Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, as Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand and Apostolic Delegate to the countries of the Pacific Ocean.

The Pontiff had appointed Archbishop Rugambwa a few days ago to represent the Holy See in New Zealand and the Pacific Ocean countries after serving Sao Tome and Principe, Angola, and Tagaria – all in Africa.

Ranking takes place among African nationals serving the Holy See in different capacities.

Archbishop Rugambwa was born in Western Tanzania in 1957 then ordained a priest in 1986 and Archbishop in 2010.

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1991 and has served in Nunciatures in Panama, Republic of Congo, Pakistan, New Zealand, Indonesia, Angola, and Honduras.

For a period of time, he was also Under Secretary of the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.

Archbishop Rugambwa has diplomatic experience in Panama, the Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Indonesia and he previously served as secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio in Wellington, New Zealand. He holds a degree in Canon Law.

He replaces the previous nuncio Archbishop Martin Krebs who last year was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Uruguay.

President of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, Bishop Patrick Dunn, said: “We’re delighted with the appointment of Archbishop Rugambwa and warmly welcome him back to our shores in his new role. Our prayers are with him as he prepares for his move and we look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”

Archbishop Rugambwa entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in July 1991 and then served in the Pontifical diplomatic missions in Panama, Republic of Congo, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Indonesia.

He was named Sub-Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants in June 2007, then elected Titular Archbishop of Tagaria, and at the same time named Apostolic Nuncio to São Tomé and Príncipe in February 2010, the position he served before moving to New Zealand.

The Catholic Church has been among key partners in tourism, playing a pivotal role to attract visitors from other parts of the world to visit Africa in different missions.

The Church in collaboration with other churches are promoting and organizing pilgrimage trips to Holy places mostly in Israel, Spain, Rome, and North Africa.

Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran missionaries are counted the first travelers who entered Africa then opened routes to the modern tourist industry which African countries are working hard to develop.

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