LATIN AMERICA Mexitours offers visitors a full coMpleMent of historic Mexico
sure that is the world’s silver capital—Taxco, with a visit to the famous Baroque parish church of Santa Prisca. Puebla & Cholula with lunch takes guests to Santa Maria Tonanzintla and San Francisco Acatepec to admire the beautiful churches of Indian Baroque style. Travelers also get to see the world’s largest pyramid at the archaeological zone of Cholula with its 365 churches. The tour continues to Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with buildings decorated with tiles and beautifully sculpted freestone; also see the majestic cathedral at the main square, the Chapel of the Rosary (considered the eighth wonder of the art world), the convent of Santa Monica and the Palafoxiana Library. Mexitours, www.mexitours.com.mx
delta and aeroMexico create enhanced coMMercial alliance
Here are some comprehensive tours available from Mexitours that offer an inside look at the country’s richness. Mexico City Tour visits the historical downtown district that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the National Palace, the Zocalo the Aztec Major Temple, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Reforma boulevard, the Chapultepec Park, glamorous residential districts and the Zona Rosa (Pink Zone). This tour is a must to get acquainted with the city. Xochimilco–University City–Coyoacan includes a panoramic tour of the World Trade Center, the Siqueiros Cultural Polyforum, the Mexico Bullring, Theater of the Insurgentes, Olympic Stadium, University City, the lava gardens of San Angel; and then a visit to Xochimilco, a World Heritage site, to ride an Aztec boat; then to Coyoacan with its 16th-century mansions and impressive paintings at Church of Saint John the Baptist. Guadalupe Shrine and Teotihuacan Pyramids begins with a visit to the Square of the Three Cultures and to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It continues to the archaeological zone of Teotihuacan with its monumental Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, the temple of Quetzalpapalotl, the citadel and the Avenue of the Dead, plus an arts and crafts center stop. Mexico City Tour & Anthropology Museum includes a Mexico City tour with a visit to the world-renowned Anthropology Museum. Cuernavaca & Taxco with lunch is a panoramic tour in Cuernavaca, the city of the eternal spring, to visit one of the oldest cathedrals in America—the Palace of Cortes, its mansions and avenues. From there travelers go to the Sierra Madre to visit the trea32 • septeMBer 2011
Delta Air Lines and Grupo Aeromexico have announced a tentative agreement for a long-term, exclusive commercial alliance. Under the agreement, the airlines will expand cooperation to leverage each other’s strengths and link Delta’s expansive network with Mexico’s largest passenger network. As part of the agreement, Delta also will invest $65 million in Aeromexico. Following a successful restructuring in 2009 and subsequent public stock offering, Aeromexico has reported strong financial results, including its highest operating margin in 15 years at 10.4 percent for the June quarter 2011. According to the US Department of Commerce, goods traded between the US and Mexico in 2010 totaled nearly $400 billion, making Mexico the third largest trading partner for the US. The new agreement between two of its founding members strengthens SkyTeam’s position as the only global alliance with a full-service, Mexico-based international carrier and expands SkyTeam’s presence in fast-growing Mexican and Latin American markets. Along with the current agreement that offers customers reciprocal access to airport lounges as well as the ability to accrue and redeem flight awards, customers will enjoy soon-to-be-available benefits from the deepened alliance between Delta and Aeromexico, including: Network-wide codesharing to include all Delta and Aeromexico flights between the US and Mexico as well as flights within the carriers’ domestic networks and to other key international destinations; a coordinated sales team that offers joint contracting to corporate customers allowing enhanced access to the combined networks; expedited call handling for Elite customers through a new, integrated process; and the ability for Elite customers to reserve preferred seating via the carriers’ reservations centers. Future benefits will include co-located airport facilities for easier connections and check-in and the ability to select preferred seat assignments, process upgrades and redeem Award Tickets online. delta air lines, www.delta.com www.travelworldnews.com • Travel World News