RESULTS OF THE HUELVA FILM FESTIVAL
After the last two editions, the Huelva Film Festival enters the century strongly - That's the opinion of its director, Francisco López Villarejo, who highlighted the importance of starting the Latin American Forum on Co-production. In it's third edition 44 films were projected from the more than 100 presented, and more than 200 producers, co-producers and companies have worked to realise the projects which are planned for 2002. In fact more than 20 Latin American Co-productions have been agreed upon and another 20 projects more are close to it. For López Villarejo these figures are unprecedented. The Film Academy of Spain has chosen the Huelva Film Festival as the platform to promote and project the films selected for the prize of best film in the Spanish language in many different countries. What's more six of the nine Latin American films opting for the Oscar have been shown in Huelva, three of them in the official competition selection.

THEME BUS
The theme bus has computer terminals where you can consult any tourist data from each of the Andalucian provinces. The page gives access to the information and all tourist services. It's quality has been prized at the World Travel Market - one of the main tourism fairs in the world. The Andalucía theme office has been working since 1999 and the theme bus is only one of its activities. The travel agencies of the province and other workers in the industry now have the chance to find out about the work done in this time and benefit most from it. The theme office Internet page has seen 85 million visits since it was put online in March 2000 - that's no less than a monthly average of 6 million.

LYNX CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN
There are no more than 300 examples left of this species - the Iberian Lynx, some of them to be found in the Nature Parks of Jaén province. And it has been here were the Environment Council has presented an advertising campaign to make the population aware of this reality, and the actions to be taken for their preservation. The campaign, with a cost of 540 million pesetas, intends to inform residents about the most effective way they can collaborate in the reintroduction of the Lynx. One of the ideas is to promote agreements between the landowners and the regional administration, to create ecological corridors which would allow the distribution of the animal over increasingly wider areas. With a promotional video there is also advice to drivers to slow down on roads where there is the danger of running over a Lynx. Those responsible for the campaign consider that anyone hunting the animal is now better and better informed thanks to campaigns which have already been launched.

ANTEQUERA GOLF COMPLEX
The Antequera Golf hotel complex, in Málaga, will be the scenario where a varied opening time programme of shows will be on offer to us until January 5th. This hotel is the first 4 star establishment to be constructed in the town of Antequera. A total of ten different special evenings will be held upto January 5th in order to present this new establishment, located in this historic and artistic town. During the month of December there are planned performances from singers such as Alberto Cortez, Los Romeros de la Puebla, Los del Rio and José Manuel Soto. Sonia and Selene will close the programme, called 'Antequera Espectacular', next month. This new hotel complex, with 180 rooms , 11 of them suites, opens after a year long building programme and an investment of more than 2,000 million pesetas - a great part of which goes to the construction of the golf course itself.

TRAVEL AGENCIES DECREE
The Tourism Council of the Andalucian Government plans to approve more than ten new decrees in this legislature upto 2004. The areas to be better regulated are timeshare, travel agencies, rural and active tourism, tourist municipalities and accommodation. Also the decree to regulate travel agencies which is currently under development by the council will allow that a single person can act as a travel agency without having to set up a company. Another new feature which is planned is that if this person decides to set up a company they will not have to invest more money than that needed under the current company law. According to the Tourism Council the new regulations will help the fight against unfair competition and ensure that the correct authorisations are obtained by those who carry out Travel Agency activities.

INTERNATIONAL PUPPET FESTIVAL
The city of Cádiz will be the meeting point of the best puppet companies from across the world between December 10 and 15. The 18th edition of the International Puppet Festival will bring a total of 8 groups to Cádiz and is this year characterised by a marked Latin American influence with the participation of two groups from Argentina and one from Colombia. But the main new attraction this year will be that in addition to the shows on the stage of the Sala La Central Lechera in the city, the spectators can also enjoy another three stages in a marquee which will be installed in the Plaza San Antonio and be open in the mornings. In the Sala La Central Lechera the programme is... December 10 - Hilos Magicis from Columbia performing 'Sombras y Sombrillas' December 11 - Teatro Malic-La Fanfarra from Spain performing 'La Caja de Juguetes' December 12 - La Mar de Marionetas from Spain performing 'Blancanieves' In addition you can see Los Autos de Navidad from the local group Tia Norica on the 14th, 15th, 16th, 21st and 22nd.

MEDITERRANEAN GAMES INVESTMENT
The Junta de Andalucía is to directly invest more than 80,000 million pesetas in the Mediterranean Games which will be held in Almeria in the year 2,005. A sports event considered of the first order by the regional government. The Public Works Council will contribute 54,000 million pesetas in road improvements to the city, the completion of the A 92 and other transport and city infrastructure. In respect of the construction of the Mediterranean Village, which will house the athletes and judges, after the games it will become a tourism complex with more than 5,000 homes, seven hotels, plus golf courses and commercial centres. For the regional government these games are a large step forward in the development possibilities for the city of Almería and an ideal platform for the city's promotion internationally.

TOURIST ESTABLISHMENT PRIZES
The Málaga provincial government has awarded the work of the rural hotels such as El Molino del Santo in Benaoján, La Posada del Canónigo and La Casa Grande in El Burgo El Molino de las Pilas in Teba and the Hotel Humaina in Colmenar. These tourist establishments have received the first tourist excellence awards to be given by the provincial government in the categories of accommodation and restoration. In addition the Cortijo Los Monteros, a complex of three rural houses in Campillos, has been declared best accommodation and the Mesón La Molienda, in Benalauría declared as best restaurant. The provincial government of Málaga intends with these awards to consolidate and promote the inland offer to tourists who demand quality and which respect the environment and culture of the villages.