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Message From Headquarters Dear reader, Having a combination of good infrastructure, excellent connectivity, event-catering hotels, and convention and conference centers to accommodate all sizes of crowds is the hallmark of a great M&E destination. And since this is a time-consuming task, allow us to step in and help you with your program, thus saving valuable assets such as time and energy. At IVI DMC2 we track the vibrant destinations that are soaring high, those with rapid development and huge investments in aviation infrastructure and hospitality industry. The success of an event surely will lead to an increase in business activities. And we know that for a fact. Therefore and regardless of the nature of your program, be it a meeting, a much deserved incentive trip, a conference or an exhibition, we have your bases covered! The destinations we feature in this issue have proven ideal and success prone due to having efficient connectivity to and from main cities the world over. Major airlines, both commercial and charter, have created a booming emporium in our destination by establishing well-thought-out routes and frequencies. With the above in mind we invite you to keep reading. Sincerely, Jose-Manuel (Manolo) GARCIA, CIS President
About Us Our Vision: Associates: Preserve our company as the best place to work, so that our multicultural staff can thrive professionally and thus always perform their best. Customers: To offer an innovative high-quality service that exceeds all expectations. Partners: To continually consolidate our network of honest and successful partners. Revenue: To maximize the investment of our shareholders & help them gain good dividends. Planet: By means of our hard work instill in others the responsible management of resources.
Our Mission: To serve our customers supported on international certifications ISO 9001 and ADMC, thus ensuring 100% satisfaction to groups, conventions, incentives and special events customers. We create memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression on attendees visiting each and every one of the destinations in which we operate.
Our Objective: Always aim for 100 % overall customer satisfaction.
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Year 9 Vol. 1, Issue 119 Contents: Visionary, Founder, Jose-Manuel GARCIA, CDS & Master Coach jmgarcia@ividmc.travel
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Cover Subject
Airlines & Connections
President Jose-Manuel (Manolo) GARCIA, CIS manolo@ividmc.travel General Comptroller Trinidad SANCHEZ tsanchez@ividmc.travel
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Smooth Connections with Leading Airlines
Corporate Marketing and Francisco BAEZA, DMCP Business Director fbaeza@ividmc.travel
Brazil Olympics | August 2016
Corporate Quality Director Julia ORTIZ jortiz@ividmc.travel Electronic Publishing Alejandro PECH apech@ividmc.travel Content and Editing Omar GALLEGOS ivicorp@ividmc.travel Managing Director Jorge OROZCO, DMCP —MyDay Travel jorozco@myday.travel Corporate Headquarters: Av. Acanceh 1-01, SM 15 Cancun, Q. Roo, 77500 Mex. Ph. +52 (998) 287-1700 www.ividmc.travel
Destination Offices:
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Interview with Hilder Palma
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DQuest
16-17
Quick Hits: Mexico Rises in the World Tourism Ranking
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Advertise with CommuniQuest
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The Customer’s Always Right
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Let’s Cook : Caesar Salad
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Travel Tip: Know Who’s Late and Who’s Not
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Mexico
Caribbean
Central America
South America
IVI DMC² Cancun & Riviera Maya Raquel MIJARES, CIS Marketing, Business & Planning Director rmijares@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Dominican Republic Genaro ALMONTE, CIS Regional Managing Director galmonte@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Costa Rica Sonia VARGAS Destination Manager svargas@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Colombia Ligia VARGAS Regional Managing Director lvargas@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Mexico City, Central Mexico, Puerto Vallarta, & Riviera Nayarit Jaime NELO, DMCP Destination Managing Director jnelo@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Cuba Alejandro DEBASA Regional Managing Director adebasa@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Panama David JOHNSON Associate Regional Managing Direector djohnson@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Brazil & Argentina Andrea MAJELA Regional Managing Director amajela@ividmc.travel
IVI DMC² Los Cabos Mario FOSTER Destination Managing Director mfoster@ividmc.travel
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© Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved. 3
Cover Topic:
Airlines & Connections
Smooth Connections with Leading Airlines DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM CANCUN: USA
46%
CANADA
24%
MEXICO
11%
EUROPE
10%
LATIN AMERICA
10%
Cancun International Airport The Cancun International Airport (CUN) is one of the busiest airports in the Caribbean. Every year, millions of people visit Cancun and the Riviera Maya. In 2015, more than 14 million passengers were registered from both international and domestic flights. The main airlines, both commercial and charter, have direct or connecting flights to and from Cancun every day. Now more than ever, Cancun’s airport is easily accessible from almost all major cities in the world.
FLIGHTS BOUND FOR CANCUN FROM: EUROPE
44%
USA
21%
LATIN AMERICA
15%
CANADA
10%
MEXICO
10%
Latest News! American Airlines Launches Four New Direct Flights to Cancun American Airlines has just announced four new flights to Cancun from the United States, a total of 12. Thus reaching a total of 166 flights a week to the gorgeous Mexican Caribbean. The new routes will depart every Saturday from airports in Raleigh -Durham, Kansas, Nashville, and Pittsburgh. Alfredo Jaimes, American Airlines Regional Operation Chief said: “With the addition of these new routes, American Airlines becomes the first airline with 685 flights a week to Mexico”. The
airline said that Cancun is the number one destination in Mexico and this airport is one of the most important in Latin America. In fact, in 2015 alone this hub served over 14 million passengers. The Director of the Visitors and Conventions Bureau of this destination, Jesus Almaguer said: “These flights will significantly increase the number of visitors from the U.S. which is our main market; this strengthens the steady growth we've had in recent years”.
Cancun & Riviera Maya 4
Cancun & Riviera Maya
May 2016
AIRLINES SERVICING CANCUN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (CUN) EUROPE
Aeroflot Air Europa Air France Air Berlin Blue Panorama
British Airways Condor Dan-Air European Aviation Air Charter Evelop
Iberia Lufthansa Maerks Air Neos Air Pullmanturair / Wamos
Thomas Cook Airlines Thomson Airways Transaereo TUI Virgin Atlantic XL Airways
USA
American Airlines Delta
Frontier Airlines JetBlue Airways
Southwest Airlines Spirit Airlines
Sun Country Airlines United Airlines Virgin America
LATIN AMERICA
Aerolíneas Argentinas Avianca
Copa Airlines / Aerorepública
Cubana LAN Airlines
TAM Airlines Tropic Air
CANADA
Air Canada Air Transat
Canjet
Sunwing Airlines
WestJet Airlines
MEXICO
Aeroméxico / Aeroméxico Connect
Interjet
Magnicharter
VivaAerobus Volaris
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Cover Topic (Continued...)
T
he Dominican Republic with its 800 miles (1,288 km) of gorgeous coastline and paradisiac beaches, is considered as the main tourist destination in the Caribbean. In recent years our destination has experienced a rapid growth amongst European, Latin American, Canadian, and U.S. markets. And due to its strategic location, the country has the potential to develop as a hub. Did you know that the new route Mexico City – Santo Domingo portends a promising future in business trips? Since March 16th, Aeromexico operates direct flights from Mexico City to Santo Domingo. It has 4 direct flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The Technical Deputy Minister of Tourism (known as MITUR for its initials in Spanish), Radhamés Martínez Aponte said that the opening of the new route between Mexico City and Santo Domingo will contribute to further strengthening the Dominican capital as an important business destination, and undeniably it will double the flow of Mexican travelers into the country.
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Dominican Republic
You and your group will fall in love with all the greatness that envelops this magnificent event. For all the logistics, you can count on the expertise of our bilingual IVI DMC2 Brazil staff. As always, our unfailing commitment is to make you look GREAT!
The Summer Olympics will be held in Brazil in
PLAN YOUR GROUP IN ADVANCE!
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Cover Topic (Continued...)
I
t is a proof of our destination’s growing popularity when more and more airlines decide to include us in their routes, thus with the passing of time our clients have even more choices to reach us. Last year Jet Blue announced a direct flight from Boston to LIR airport and so did Interjet with a flight from Mexico City to SJO flying from Sunday to Friday. On April 14th 2016, the Costa Rican Minister of Tourism, Mauricio Ventura, officially announced that Air France will offer two direct flights weekly from San Jose to Paris starting November 2nd of this year. This is the third airline to offer a connection from Costa Rica to Europe, and with 468-seater aircrafts. These achievements were the result of the participation of Costa Rica in the ITB fair held last March in Berlin, and it reflects the support the tourism industry is receiving from the authorities.
“By offering two new direct flights between Paris and San Jose, we are connecting all of Europe to an exceptional tourist destination. With this new offer, we also aim to support the vibrant economy of Costa Rica, the leading market in Central America. Our long-haul network offer is thus improving in a region of the world where we are already a European leader”, stated Frédéric Gagey, Chairman and CEO of Air France. Planning to visit Costa Rica and need to select the best flight route for you and your attendees? You can find a complete list of flights to and from Costa Rica and their frequencies by clicking on this link: http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/airLines.asp
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Costa Rica
Costa Rica
May 2016
Daniel Oduber Airport (LIR) Picture taken from aeropuertos.net
If your incentives program will be near the Golden Coast in Guanacaste, but your airline does not travel to LIR airport, there is a great network of domestic flights that will get you there, so no worries! Just click on the “domestic flights” tab on the link found on the previous page and you will find what you need. Getting to Costa Rica will be not only a great experience for your incentives group, but also very easy to get to!
Juan Santamaría Airport, Picture taken from Flickr.com
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Cover Topic (Continued...)
P
anama has long benefited from having state-of-the-art business facilities and five-star hotels that appeal to meeting planners. Besides this, the connectivity factor plays an important role; take for example the Tocumen International Airport expansion and Copa Airlines’ new routes. Tocumen International Airport, Panama's main airport is considered the "Hub of the Americas“; its strategic location right in the middle of the continent makes for easy travel from wherever your departure city is. We will soon see the longest flight in the world become a reality: the Dubai-Panama City direct flight!
The World’s Top 100 Airports - 2016 Skytrax World Airport Awards The Tocumen International Airport has recently been recognized among the Top 100 Airports in the World for 2016. It is the only airport in Central America on this exclusive list, a global benchmark of airport excellence.
Expansion of Tocumen International Airport A Timely Face Lift for the Hub of the Americas The South Terminal project will be ready by the end of 2017 and will comprise a second terminal, immigration and customs area, dining outlets, commercial and retail space, and parking lots, just to mention a few features. This stealth-airplane-shaped architecture will boast ample room exclusively dedicated to retail and duty free. With these enhancements, the airport will double its capacity of passengers and reinforce the airport’s leading position in Central America. This certainly makes Panama a suitable and attractive option for the M&E industry.
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Panama
Panama
May 2016
Landmark Purchase of 61 Boeing Airplanes that Broke International Records Panama President Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez and U.S. President Barack Obama witnessed a historical agreement in which Copa Airlines signed an order for the purchase of 61 Boeing airplanes. An article from Copa Airlines website states: “At Copa Airlines, we are proud to have signed this historical landmark order with two presidents in attendance,” said Pedro Heilbron. “Boeing’s 737 Next Generation airplanes are the backbone of our current fleet. Our order for the 737 MAX airplanes is reflective of our ongoing commitment to the future - a commitment to connect people throughout North, South, and Central America, using the most modern, most efficient airplanes in the sky, via the Hub of the Americas in Panama City.”
An International Airport Surrounded by Idyllic Beaches and Lush Rainforests The Scarlett Martinez International Airport is located in Rio Hato, Cocle. Its geographical location aims to promote the appeal of thr Playa Blanca area - famous for its white-sandy beaches and turquoise waters - and of Anton’s Valley - widely recognized for its hot springs and ideal for fun activities in the jungle. This area boasts with exclusive and renown hotel chains. Would you like to wow your clients and participants by inviting them to explore Playa Blanca on stand up paddle boards and kayaks? Afterward visit the highlands of Anton’s Valley, and have a cup of geisha coffee while enjoying an enviable temperature of 70°F (22°C) and views of the lush rainforest that surrounds the valley. For relax purposes, visit the hot springs to have an organic mud exfoliant and a shower at the majestic waterfall of “El Macho”. 11
The Flight to Discover the Best of Both Worlds Fly Emirates connects Panama City & Dubai Fly Emirates will operate a direct flight either at the end of 2016 or beginning of 2017 a direct flight that will give the opportunity to important economies of different regions to expand and discover new scenarios for business development. This flight will last 17 hours and 35 minutes and will be the longest non-stop flight in the world. The airline chose Panama as their first destination for starting operations in the Central America market.
Cover Topic (Continued...)
T
he Ministry of Commerce has proposed to improve air connectivity in Colombia in order to gain entry of more airlines and thus increase frequencies. The international frequencies of existing routes grew by 110 flights per week. Recently, the opening of the following routes were achieved: from Bogota to Punta Cana, San Salvador route, Frankfurt, Cancun, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and La Paz. From Cartagena direct flights to Madrid and New York. From Medellin to Aruba and Curacao, and from Panama to Cucuta. This steady increase is due mainly to events such as the signing of trade agreements that generate the arrival of entrepreneurs and tourists. With these improvements Colombia is soaring higher and higher!
The Expansion of the Jose Maria Cordova Airport With the construction of a second track, the Jose Maria Cordova airport in Rionegro will be at the same level infrastructure wise as El Dorado airport in Bogota. This project is becoming a reality with the signing of the feasibility study and it is generating much enthusiasm amongst authorities, entrepreneurs, and users. The government expects to have the master plan ready in eight months once the feasibility analysis is completed. The above mentioned analysis will involve an investment of 3,760 million pesos and it will be crucial to establish the geomorphology, weather conditions, property taxes, etc. to determine the financial viability of this second track. Currently, the Jose Maria Cordova is undergoing needed remodeling. Also, Avianca is constructing a hangar for aircraft maintenance.
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Colombia
Colombia
May 2016
El Dorado Was Awarded as the Best Airport in South America El Dorado Airport was recognized as the best in South America for the annual ranking of World Airport Awards. At the same ceremony, the terminal was certified with a four-star rating and was awarded the Best Staff in the region for the second time. The annual ranking of World Airport Awards is published by region and is determined by the amount of surveys and opinions expressed by users. More than 13 million passenger surveys are received to determine these awards, which are considered the most important in the industry.
These awards were also validated by Skytrax, a company dedicated to the analysis, classification, and comparison of airline and airport quality on all continents. For the Award for Best Airport Staff in South America, passengers submitted their surveys according to the following criteria: Efficiency, courtesy, manners, attitude, and knowledge. El Dorado was graded as having equal or higher world average standards.
CHART OF AIRLINES SERVICING COLOMBIA BOGOTA
AerolĂneas Argentinas AeromĂŠxico Air Canada Air France American Airlines Avianca
Avior Airlines Conviasa Copa Airlines Cubana Delta
Iberia Interjet JetBlue KLM LAN
Lufthansa Spirit Tame TAP Portugal United Airlines
MEDELLIN
American Airlines Avianca
LAN Copa Airlines
Spirit LACSA/TACA
Insel Air
CARTAGENA
Avianca
Copa Airlines /
JetBlue
Spirit
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Interview with Hilder PALMA Operations Director IVI DMC2 Cancun & Riviera Maya
CQ: What is your current position at IVI DMC², and how long have you been with the company?
CQ: We know you are proficient at what you do, tell us how you have put together the ideal operations team?
HP: About two years ago I became the Operations Director. I have been with IVI DMC2 since January 2004. I started as Junior Event Coordinator and later as Event Coordinator Senior. For some time I served as supervisor and because of my hard work and dedication, I attained the goal of becoming the Operations Director.
HP: The most important thing in this business is to bring the human factor in. We assure quality and proficiency by having a seasoned, knowledgeable team that has undergone strict training and courses based on ISO 9001:2008 quality standards. CQ: In your opinion, what makes Cancun & Riviera Maya the top destination for M&E travel? HP: I think one of the best advantages we have in our favor is human warmth and a service-oriented culture. Also, having spearheading infrastructure from hotels to auditoriums that are tailor-made to meet the needs of M&E Travel, contributes to our destination’s suitability. And finally the rich culture and the diversity of places to see - such as the
CQ: As Operations Director what sort of tasks do you handle daily? HP: Within my daily duties are the scheduling of groups, the coordination of tours and activities, programming the staff’s daily schedules, the oversight of the daily agenda, etc. I also see to it that our customers receive in the field the best service ever, thus ensuring their full satisfaction from the services provided by IVI DMC2.
archeological sites and unrivalled beaches – contribute to the appeal our destination has among M&E and FITs travel.
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May 2016 April 2016
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Mexico Rises in the World Tourism Ranking
“M
exico climbed to ninth in the classification of international tourist arrivals by beating Russia in the UNWTO indicator“, reported the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Taleb Rifai, to the President, Enrique Peña Nieto. According to the World Tourism Organization, beating the Russian Federation, Mexico went from 10th to 9th in arrival of international tourists. In addition, the arrival of more tourists allowed Mexico to rise up five positions in foreign currency income, going from place 22 to 17.
2015 International Tourist Arrivals: 1) France - 86,112,000 tourists 2) USA - 77,936,000 tourists
3) Spain - 68,215,000 tourists 4) China - 56,886,000 tourists 5) Italy - 50,835,000 tourists 6) Turkey - 39,333,000 tourists 7) Germany - 34,970,000 tourists 8) U.K. with 33,950,000 tourists 9) Mexico - 32,145,000 tourists
10) Russia - 31,699,000 tourists
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Based on the information from the Organization, during 2015 Mexico registered an annual growth of 9.5% in the arrival of international tourists, which allowed Mexico to move up one notch. The World Tourism Organization said that in the Barometer 2016, the Russian Federation reported a growth rate of 6.2%, representing 31,699,000 visitors, i.e. 446,000 arrivals less than those observed for Mexico in 2015, with the arrival of 32.1 million international tourists. UNWTO said that as a result of annual growth of 7.7% in the foreign currency income from international visitors during 2015, Mexico had revenues of $17,457 million dollars.
May 2016
Advertise with CommuniQuest Incentive Travel Digest Advertising and promotional opportunities are now available in CommuniQuest Incentive Travel Digest. Sponsorship placement opportunities are limited and are reserved on a “first come, first served” basis. We invite you to advertise in our vastly distributed magazine which is already available to over ten thousand avid readers. These readers are dedicated members, stakeholders, and fine suppliers. The Incentive Travel Digest is an inviting 'cover to cover' read, ensuring eye-catching and successful advertising. Click here to receive more information.
IVI DMC² World Headquarters: Ave. Acanceh #1-01, SM 15 Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mx Phone: +52 (998) 287-1700 Email: ivicorp@ividmc.travel Serving the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions industry since 1986. Find us in over 40 destinations throughout:
The Customer is Always Right
Gregorio saved us on getting a car last minute for VIP. Fausto did an amazing job. Very helpful, above & beyond. Ms. Ellen Darcy | Program Manager
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Mexico Cuba Dominican Republic Belize Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Costa Rica Panama Colombia Brazil Argentina Chile Coming soon...Peru!
For further information on the fine hotels, deals, activities, and group packages mentioned in this magazine, please contact Francisco BAEZA: fbaeza@ividmc.travel
Caesar Salad Do you know where it comes from? Italy? USA? France? Greece? It originated in a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico, by chef CĂŠsar Cardini (patented in 1948). Over time, many variations have been created, but we leave here the original recipe:
Ingredients:
Salad
2 romaine lettuce 1 & 1/2 cups toasted bread cut into cubes, well-known as French croutons 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Dressing
1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice 2 egg yolks 2 cups of olive oil 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons of mustard 1 teaspoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of black pepper 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Preparation: How to make the sauce (dressing) Place all ingredients in blender, except olive oil, and mix at high speed for three minutes. Later, blend once more this time slowly adding the oil to the mix. Add salt if necessary. (It is very important to be patient when you add the oil as it can separate if included abruptly.) Plated salad In a salad bowl put chopped lettuce with half of the sauce and grated parmesan. Mix well. Then add the rest of the parmesan cheese and croutons. Add the remaining sauce, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and serve immediately so that the bread is not soft. The original Cesar Salad does not contain chicken, anchovies, nor tomatoes .... Surprised?
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May 2016
Travel Tip: Know Who’s Late and Who’s Not Each month, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ranks the major airlines on their on-time records. The results are published in many newspapers. To increase your chances of being on time, consider booking your flight with the winner. USA Today publishes this information each month. In addition, the Internet now provides online information through DOT’s home page, FAA, and each airline’s Web site. “When a further delay was announced, I walked up to the ticket agent and said: ‘I don't see why you people bother publishing a flight schedule.’ The Ticket agent replied in his usual calm, professional tone: ‘Well, Sir, we have to have something to base our delays on!’ ” - Joey Adams (Taken from page 54) James Feldman, (a.k.a. Doctor Travel) is a Certified Facilitator and internationally recognized professional motivator, author, television host, and radio personality. His company Incentive Travelers Cheque Int’l provides individual and group incentive travel awards for many Fortune 500 companies. His book “Doctor’s Travel Cure For The Common Trip” is an entertaining and invaluable travel guide whose purpose is not to tell you where to go, but rather to help you get ready for the adventure. CommuniQuest is pleased to share some of Mr. Feldman’s travel wisdom with our readers, who from time to time must deal with lines, cancellations, lost luggage, and a person in the adjacent seat making extensive use of the air sickness bag. Reprinted by permission from the Author: jfeldman@itcheque.com
THANK YOU FOR READING Like life in general, the M&I Industry seems to move at the speed of light. As a committed B2B partner, we aim to help you keep up with the latest industry news and opportunities. CommuniQuest magazine is a valuable tool that brings you the timely information and analysis that you need, with a lair for what's hot, relevant, and interesting. I wish you the best of success in your quest, whatever it may be. Jose-Manuel GARCIA, CDS Visionary, Founder, & Master Coach
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