WASHINGTON, D.C.:

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, the second-largest U.S. airline with service to Latin America and the Caribbean, will sponsor a Caribbean Media Exchange CMExPress workshop for media professionals, the travel and tourism industry, and the public and private sector on February 25 in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

"Service to the Caribbean is an important part of Continental's operations," said Christy Rodgers, senior director, Latin America Sales, Continental Airlines. "We are pleased to continue to support the CMExPress event, which provides a forum for sharing ways to strengthen sustainable tourism in the Caribbean region."

Continental operates non-stop flights to 18 cities on 12 islands in the Caribbean from its international hubs at Newark Liberty International Airport and/or George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. From the New York area, Continental offers direct, nonstop service to 18 Caribbean destinations: Aruba, Dutch Caribbean; Freeport and Nassau, The Bahamas; Bridgetown, Barbados; Bermuda; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santiago and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Montego Bay and Kingston, Jamaica; St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles; Aguadilla and San Juan, Puerto Rico; Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Antigua.

HOUSTON LINK-UP

From Houston, Continental serves six Caribbean destinations: Aruba; Nassau, Bahamas; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Montego Bay, Jamaica; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Passengers returning through Houston will arrive at a new, state-of-the-art International Arrivals Building (IAB) at Intercontinental Airport. The facility features the fastest and most modern Federal Inspection Facility in the U.S.

"Continental Airlines' support of the Caribbean Media Exchange series is one of those actions which enhances the ability of the region to take advantage of its most important industry," said president of Counterpart International, Lelei LeLaulu. "Tourism is the greatest mobiliser of people and an enlightened airline like Continental gives wings to people trying to make sustainable tourism a fixture in the Caribbean." LeLaulu also thanked the carrier for ensuring that members of the Caribbean-American media could attend the eighth CMEx meeting.

Continental Airlines is the world's sixth-largest airline with more than 3,000 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.