HONDURAS POLITICS THROWS TRAVEL BIZ FOR A LOOP?

Hotels and tourism operators can make a killing by getting into a market before someone else does. Thirty years ago, who would've put so much money on Costa Rica or Iceland?

But the latest incidents in Honduras show that you also can be taking major risks.

I know several folks who do public relations for a company that's building a huge golf resort called Pristine Bay in Honduras. Maybe there's no issue, but you'd have to think investors might be a little nervous when they read stories about the weekend coup, the first in central America in 16 years.

Then again, stuff does happen and things generally settle down, as witnessed by the situation in Thailand earlier this year.

Associated Press reports that presidents from around the region were gathering in Nicaragua today for meetings on how to reverse the military coup, which replaced leftist president Manuel Zelaya. Zelaya was seized by soldiers and shunted onto a plane for Costa Rica.

Pristine Bay Resort is located near Roatan in the Bay Islands area of Honduras, which looks lovely. There are plans for condos and a golf course called the Black Pearl, designed by the legendary Pete Dye.

EXTRA FEES FOR BIG PASSENGERS?

Interesting item at cnn.com notes that the obesity rate in the U.S. has "mushroomed" in the past couple decades, but the width of the cheap seats on an airplane have remained at 17 to 18 inches (wish the seats were that wide on the TTC).

"It's a growing problem, no pun intended," said George Hobica, president of AirfareWatchdog.com, a site that is part of Smarter Travel Media LLC, which provides airfare deals and advice. "Everyone suffers. The obese people suffer and the people who are skinny and get spilled over on suffer as well."

Star Travel colleague John Moore reports he was in Costa Rica earlier this year on a very small airplane and that passengers were weighed to see if they registered more than 250 pounds. If they did, the airline had the right to charge them for a second seat due to weight restrictions.

One gentleman weighed about 400 pounds but didn't have to fork over money for another ticket as the flight was half empty.

"Everyone had to get weighed," Moore reports. "You could see the scale and the numbers. Not that guys can't be vain, but you had to think it was tough for the women."

KUDOS FOR MILLCROFT INN

The MIllcroft Inn and Spa has been named accomodation of the year by the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association.

I recall a short visit many years ago that was quite nice, but it's been a while.

 

Comments

[Beijinger]

That is really amazing comments ! Especially that big problem for the passer-by ,they seems that pay some extra money for their seats