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Travel Roundup: Cuban Travel Ban Debate, Las Vegas Sands Layoffs, Embraer Expects Brazil's Money and More

By Barbara E. Hernandez | Mar 30, 2009

Cuban travel ban could be lifted — Senators and special interest groups are scheduled to rally for a bill to end travel restriction to Cuba Tuesday and President Barack Obama is expected to further loosen travel restrictions by the Summit of the Americas conference April 17-19 in Trinidad and Tobago. The restrictions were put in place in 1961, and tightened under the Bush administration, but the U.S. Treasury has some leeway to ease requirements that would limit travel to the island nation. [Source: Washington Post]

Las Vegas Sands lays off 283Las Vegas Sands Co. laid off 283 employees Friday, including corporate office workers as well as Venetian and Palazzo resort workers. The company employs about 7,000 in Las Vegas. The layoffs are part of company cost-cutting because the company is $10.4 billion in debt. A $5.4 billion resort in Singapore is still scheduled to open this year. Executives with the company say they are considering refinancing some of their debt by buying back $800 million in loans. [Source: Las Vegas Sun]

Embraer expects Brazilian investment, announces profits Embraer, also known as Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A., said it expected Brazil’s development bank to triple financing commitments and that the company had no plans to change its commercial products for another two years. The company’s revenues grew due to increased deliveries and profitability, but its fourth-quarter report showed a drop in business jet demand — 27% to $249.7 million. Commercial sales grew about 3% to $1.2 billion and defense and government revenue grew 17.5% to $176.4 million. [Source: Aviation Week]

Dubai World says MGM Mirage’s $200 million “good faith” –  Dubai World said MGM Mirage’s $200 million payment that kept their joint project CityCenter solvent, is a sign of good faith but that it was only a “temporary solution” to the financial problems plaguing the casino operator. The first stage of the Las Vegas strip development is scheduled to open this year. [Source: Associated Press]

Bay Area resident and award-winning business journalist Barbara E. Hernandez has covered tourism, real estate and personal finance. Her clients include the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Washington Post.

BNET User Analysis

Web Buzz:
  • Travel Roundup: Obama and Cuba, Nickelodeon Quits Holiday Inn, Travel Agent Arrested and More

    BNET Insight - 327 days 14 hours 14 minutes ago

    Obama could ease Cuba travel sanctions – While President-Elect Barack Obama said he favors relaxing restrictions on family travel and sending money to relatives in Cuba, experts say he will stop short of lifting 1962 trade and travel embargoes that ban all Americans from traveling to the country. A November poll of Cuban Americans in...

  • Obama moves to relax telecoms and travel restrictions on Cuba

    Financial Times - 224 days 5 hours 52 minutes ago

    President Barack Obama took a big step towards relaxing sanctions on Cuba yesterdac="http://media.ft.com/h/subs2.html" class="subscribe-container-iy, lifting all travel and remittance restrictions on Cuban-Americans and permitting US telecoms companies to offer services directly to the island. The end of the restrictions, which Mr Obama promised...

  • Obama relaxes sanctions on travel to Cuba

    Financial Times - 224 days 5 hours 52 minutes ago

    President Barack Obama took a big step towards relaxing sanctions on Cuba yesterday, lifting all travec="http://media.ft.com/h/subs2.html" class="subscribe-container-il and remittance restrictions on Cuban-Americans and permitting US telecoms companies to offer services directly to the island. The end of the restrictions, which Mr Obama promised...

  • US bill aims to ease Cuba travel

    BBC - 271 days 6 hours 50 minutes ago

    The US House of Representatives has passed a bill that should lead to the easing of restrictions on Cuban-Americans wanting to travel to Cuba. The provisions are part of a spending bill and must pass in the Senate - where it faces some opposition - before it becomes law. The bill would allow Cuban-Americans to visit Cuba once a year instead of...

  • Obama May Lift Cuban Sanctions . . . Maybe

    BNET Travel - 307 days 12 hours 59 minutes ago

    While departing President George W. Bush took a parting shot at Fidel Castro’s Cuba, the new president, Barack Obama, seems a lot more likely to lift sanctions on the island nation. Hillary Clinton said, during her U.S. Senate confirmation hearing, that she echoed the sentiments of the new administration  by wanting to lift family travel...

 

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