The first two months of 2009 have seen the tourism sector in Brazil experience a substantial increase, thanks in part to increased domestic travel. The Brazilian Tourism Ministry estimated that revenue in the tourism sector grew 20 percent in the first two months of the year.   Hotel occupancy was up 23 percent for the time period when compared to a year earlier, with Carnival drawing immense crowds and...

The European Central Bank (ECB) followed the Bank of England and recently announced a half a percent interest rate cut. The Bank is attempting to help the economy of Europe and the EU with its fifth cut in the last six months. The base interest rate now stands at 1.5 percent, a record low.   This latest cut will help homeowners, who will see their interest rates cut and, as a result, lower payments. A 30...

The world’s premier real estate summit is set to open in Cannes, France on March 10. MIPIM runs through the 13th of March and is an annual gathering of developers, public agencies, world leaders and real estate executives. So far, organizers have indicated that some 18,000 people are registered to attend the fair. There are also over 450 architectural and design firms that are scheduled to attend or send...

When will the Pound recover? Yesterday saw another sharp fall in the value of sterling – losing over 2% of its value against both the Euro and US Dollar.   The million dollar question for anyone needing to make international bank transfers is – when will the Pound recover?   The problems manifested in sterling’s decline over the last few months are many. First, interest rates in the UK, which were...

The real estate market in Switzerland has so far defied the world’s economic woes and, according to some property experts, is going strong. Chalets in Alpine villages are selling well and the country remains a popular destination. Its status as a tax haven has long made the country a destination for those with plenty of money, and it has been pulling in other buyers as...

A new development in the French Alpine village of Annecy is about to begin construction. Dubbed La Villa d’Artagnan, the property has done well in off-plan sales to date so that the developer, MGM, is starting construction early on the project.   Construction on La Villa d’Artagnan begins this month and will result in 18 new homes, ranging from one bedroom apartments to four bedroom duplexes. Prices...

In the middle of PhangNgaBay between Phuket and Krabi is the island of Koh Yao Noi. This small island has not yet seen the large development of Phuket and other popular destinations, but there are several posh resorts already located here with some more on the way. The island is most well known for the Six Senses Hideaway Yao Noi resort, a five star retreat.   Villaguna Residence and Spa is launching a...

New home sales in Australia were up nearly nine percent in January, mostly due to first time buyers. The most recent report from the Housing Industry Association (HIA) indicated that the sale of new, detached houses rose in January by 8.3 percent, while all detached home sales were up 9.8 percent for the month. For the three-month period including January, sales were up by three percent.   HIA chief...

Dubai-based property developer Memon Investments predicts that the UAE real estate market will bounce back in the next 8-12 months. The developer is part of the Memon Group of Companies, and is basing its prediction on industry findings that show a decline in construction costs.   Industry analysts have noted that there has been a recent drop in the price of steel and other building materials. Labor...

Ivanka Trump, daughter of US real estate mogul Donald Trump and executive vice president of development and acquisitions for the Trump Organization, has good things to say about Panama. The 70-story Panama City Trump Ocean Club is scheduled to open in 2010 with a combination of condominiums, a hotel, restaurants, retail stores and a casino, and Miss Trump was promoting the project and the country in a...