A Friendly Match: Costa Rica 's national soccer team Saturday took on El Salvador 's team during a friendly game played in San Salvador. The teams tied 2-2.

Costa Rica this weekend hosted Central America Travel Market, a fair bringing together tourism representatives from around the region to promote it as a multi-destination option for international travelers.

Latin American Film Festival
Featuring “El Año Que Mis Padres Salieron de Vacaciones ” (Brasil); tomorrow, “No Sos Vos, Soy Yo” (Argentina); Wednesday, “Crónica de una Muerte Anunciada” (Colombia); Thursday, “Detrás del Muro” (Panamá); Friday, “Los Paraguayos”(Paraguay). All at 3 and 6 p.m., Variedades Theater, Calle 5, Ave. Ctrl./1, San José. Info: 222-6108.

Concert
With Ensamble Étnico 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro. Info: jazz_cafe@racsa.co.cr

Tears of tragedy followed pounding rain this weekend in the town of Atenas, northwest of San José, where rescue workers pulled the bodies of 14 people out of their houses after they were buried by a landslide late last week. Meanwhile, communities around the country suffered damages caused by persistent rains.

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) yesterday reported that recent bad weather caused by a low-pressure system over Mexico 's Yucatan Peninsula blowing rain over Costa Rica has left 1,500 houses damaged, more than 700 people in 17 shelters and 16 people dead, according to a statement from the CNE.

In Fátima de Atenas, a landslide buried seven houses, killing 14 people last week. As rescue workers pulled their bodies out of the wreckage Friday and Saturday, two more people became victims – a 21-year-old woman who was pulled away by a current when attempting to drive across a river in Atenas and an 87-year-old man who was swept away by Río Enmedio in the northwestern Guanacaste province.

The central Pacific canton of Parrita also saw frightening water levels as Río Parrita rose, covering more than 1,000 houses and forcing inhabitants to flee to nearby shelters.

CNE officials yesterday visited the Parrita communities of La Julieta, La Pitahaya, Los Angeles and Playón Sur to assess the situations of the more than 350 people who remain in shelters, bringing more food, blankets and other necessary supplies.

In the Central Valley, relentless rain caused damages to communities including Santa Ana, Desamparados, Aserrí and Mora.

Conditions are returning to normal in the central Pacific community of Puntarenas, which last week was hit by heavy rains. However, 147 people remain in shelters in the areas of Barranca and El Roble and in the towns of Garabito, Herradura and Tárcoles.

In light of continuing rains and saturated soil, the CNE is maintaining a red alert for the cantons of Parrita, Garabito, Puntarenas Centro and Atenas, while the rest of the country remains under a yellow alert, except for the Caribbean coast, which is under a green alert, the statement said.

The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) expects rains to continue today as more low-pressure systems roll in.

-Tico Times

The French Caribbean airline Air Caraibes announced Friday it will begin flying to Costa Rica from France and the Antilles beginning in December.

The airline has planes with capacity for 100 people that will depart from Juan Santamaría International Airport, just northwest of San José, stopover in Panama and continue to Guadeloupe in the French Antilles, where passengers can board another plane to continue to Paris, France.

Tickets will run about $450 from San José to Guadeloupe and $850 from San José to Paris, according to Air Caraibes sales director Marie Claire Roux.

Air Caraibes has been based in Guadeloupe for about four years and travels to several destinations including Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

-ACAN-EFE

Costa Rica this weekend hosted Central America Travel Market, a fair bringing together tourism representatives from around the region to promote it as a multi-destination option for international travelers.

Those who attended the fair, which ran from Thursday through Saturday, had the chance to meet with wholesalers from Europe, Asia and around Latin America, according to a statement from the National Tourism Chamber (CANATUR).

“Central America Travel market is the best opportunity for Central American tourism to grow and become stronger, since it opens the door to doing business and making alliances with European companies,” said CANATUR president Gonzalo Vargas. “For Costa Rica, it is very important to take advantage of this fair, since the European market represents 14% of tourists to Costa Rica who bring $358 million to the country every year.”

During the fair, the Federation of Central American Tourism Chambers (FEDECATUR) signed a cooperation agreement with TACA airlines to promote regional tourism, develop the Central American tourism sector and consolidate tourism brands on the international market. It also seeks to reduce fares and airport taxes, stimulate growth and facilitate tourists moving around the region.

Nicaraguan musician Luis Enrique Mejía Godoy has been enlisted to help promote the region by recording a CD called “Central America: So Small, So Big,” with musicians from around Central America. Funds raised by the sale of this CD will be put toward efforts to integrate regional tourism and strengthen the federation.