For Immediate Release
Contact: Tammy Lee
VP of Corporate Affairs
414-975-2515, tlee@marktravel.com

Holly Botsford
Public Relations Manager
414.934.1286, hbotsford@marktravel.com


Mark Travel's Senior Executive Goes to the Riviera Maya to Assess Tourism Conditions

La Macchia and Governor of Quintana Roo Report "Estamos Abierto" - We are open.

MILWAUKEE, Nov.10, 2005 - The Mark Travel Corporation's chief operating officer and executive vice president, Bill La Macchia, Jr., flew into Cancun this week to make a first-hand assessment of the Riviera Maya in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma.

The Mark Travel Corporation carries about a million passengers a year to Mexico through its vacation companies that include Funjet Vacations, TransGlobal Vacations, ATA Vacations, United Vacations and US Airways Vacations.

La Macchia, by telephone, briefed other company executives today following a meeting he had with the Governor of Quintana Roo, Felix González Canto, and Secretary of Tourism, Gabriella Rodriguez. La Macchia said the meeting was very positive, with the Governor concluding, "Estamos abierto," Spanish for "We are open."

First-Hand Account from the Riviera Maya

La Macchia has been touring the Riviera Maya region for the past two days and said, "I am very pleased and happy with the progress they are making in the recovery effort. Nobody should have any hesitation in booking a winter vacation to the Riviera Maya. The Playa del Carmen and 5th Avenue area is already open and ready for business, and you wouldn't even know a hurricane went through this area. The rest of the Riviera Maya, south of Cancun, is also much better than I expected. Right now, about 50 percent of the properties are open and fully-operational. By mid-December, the Governor of Quintana Roo and hoteliers say 75 percent of the hotels will be fully open by mid-December, and they are on-track for 95 percent operational by year-end in Maya Riviera."

Governor Felix González Canto welcomed La Macchia to the region. The Mark Travel Corporation is the largest leisure tour operator to Mexico and the Governor wanted to detail for La Macchia, personally, the progress on the recovery efforts and plans to bring tourists back to the region.

Governor Canto told La Macchia he is very pleased with the progress and confident with the investment that is being made in Cancun. Today, there are ample hotels and restaurants open in the Riviera Maya that are ready to provide people with an enjoyable experience.

La Macchia said the people of Mexico are extremely industrious and will be ready, with open arms, for peak tourist season in winter 2005/06.

La Macchia concluded, "I've been driving around and have seen it myself. The scaffolding is up, trucks are making their way, and people from all over the state are coming into Cancun to help with the recovery. There should be no hesitation to book a vacation here for this winter. People from other countries are already here enjoying the destination. In some places, you would never know there was a hurricane. In others, there is so much activity and rebuilding - it's exciting to see, and it's going to be better than ever before."

The Mark Travel Corporation is headquartered in Milwaukee. Founded in 1974, the company employs more than 1,500 individuals in 15 offices worldwide. The vacation companies of The Mark Travel Corporation include such well-known names ATA Vacations, Blue Sky Tours, Funjet Vacations, lasvegasandmore.com, Mark International, MGM MIRAGE Vacations, Midwest Airlines Vacations, Mountain Vacations, Showtime Tours, Southwest Airlines Vacations, TransGlobal Vacations, Travel Charter, United Vacations, US Airways Vacations, Vacations by Adventure Tours.