TAP Air Portugal is going to reinforce its connections with Brazil, starting to fly three times a week between Lisbon and Natal. The aim is to satisfy the increase in European demand for that South American country. TAP, which has already operated to Natal between 1999 and 2001, is sure of a positive answer from the market, since it can now also offer this destination in connection to its European net, profiting from the schedule arrangement in the Lisbon hub, as can be read in a communication from the company.

In a different policy from its British partner, Iberia is going to introduce, starting the next 1st of March, a new system for service on board, in economic class, following the LCC pattern, which means it will start to charge for the food and beverages served on board, by the passengers’ request.

British Airways has recently launched, in its European flights, a set of new menus. The new menus are another of British Airways’ strategies to offer the best service quality to its passengers, which also allows for the company to position itself in a superior landing in relation to the air companies with reduced rates which charge for the on board meal service.

Lisbon’s Promotional Area will present itself in this year’s Fitur edition integrated in the new identity system of the Tourism of Portugal, which promotes a new concept for the tourist promotion operation.

António Cardoso e Cunha, President of the Board of Directors of TAP SGPS, participates today, the 27th of January, and in the scope of the company’s adhesion to “Global Compact”, in the first meeting of the directors of the French companies who signed the letter of principles for “Global Compact”, to take place in Paris, in the presence of the President of the French Republic and United Nations Secretary.

Prague, Budapest and Venice are the three new destinations to be operated by TAP already from the next June, announced the delegate manager Luíz da Gama Mor in a press conference during the Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa.

José Augusto Lara, Secretary of Tourism for the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul, was at Bolsa de Turismo de Lisboa to promote the tourist offer in the region.

ARTEH in BTL 2004 – 21 a 25 Jan
Visit ARTEH’s stand in Lisbon’s International Fair of Tourism from the 21st till the 25th of January 2004 – BTL 2004, Stand 1A11.

The North American government insists in carrying out its idea which consists of the inclusion, in a central data bank, of the history of the passengers of commercial flights, despite the strong opposition from the companies.

According to Roberto Pereira, executive secretary for the Integrated Committee of the Northeastern Tourism, the Brazilian Northeast should receive about 16 million tourists this year, coming mainly from Portugal, Chile, Peru and Argentina.