The development of the travel industry in Cuba and tourist security are important factors at present to draw the attention of US tour operators and entrepreneurs on the Caribbean island.
The blockade, as authorities describe these economic and commercial barriers, has been criticised by most good people who visit Cuba, according to polls.
In September, a coalition of 28 tour operators and companies that specialize in educational travels demanded in a statement to President Donald Trump the elimination of travel restrictions on Cuba for US citizens.
The tour operators visited Havana, where they favorably expressed different points of interest, including the new luxury Iberostar Grand Packard Hotel.
According to press reports and official statistics, about 68,000 US travelers visited Cuba in June, when tourism in the country, after several months of decline, driven by the increase in cruise ships, which have become the most prominent modality in the travel sector.
Caribbean News reported, for example, that about 50 percent of US travlers arrived in Cuba on cruise ships from January to June, compared to 25 percent during the same period in 2017.
These arrivals were particularly organized by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., which included more stops in their itineraries in Cuba.
The travel agency Havanatur organized a one-week Megafam event until September 27, especially in Varadero beach, Cuba’s major coastal resort.
The group was made up of 335 travel agents from 16 markets and journalists from those places, who visited Havana, Varadero, Holguin and Santa Clara.
News always focus on US citizens’ concern about visiting Cuba freely, as they can only do it through 12 licenses approved by the US Department of Treasury.
Despite those restrictions, the US is currently Cuba’s second major tourist-sending market, behind Canada.
Cuban Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero said that the country received more than 600,000 US holidaymakers last year, so tour operators and tourism executives from that country pay great attention to stays in Cuba.
Safety and local people’s kindness stand out in all interviews with these professionals and US travelers.
Cuba has 69,286 hotel rooms, 69 percent of which are in four- and five-star establishments. According to official estimates, about 5,000 new hotel rooms are scheduled for completion this year.
These statistics show that Cuba received about 4,689,894 foreign visitors in 2017, accounting for a 11.6-percent growth, and compared to the rest of the Caribbean region, such operations meant a 16.2-percent increase.
These figures ratified Cuba’s attractions for US vacationers, and the opinion of tour operators who recently visited the island. (Taken from Prensa Latina)
