Rural Tourism conference will evoke Fidel Castro's thoughts

HAVANA, Cuba, September 14 (ACN) Fidel Castro's strategic thinking on agritourism stands out as a key topic at the 10th Ibero-American Meeting on Rural Tourism and Agritourism, to be held from September 29 to October 5 in various locations across Western Cuba.

Francisco Longino Franquiz Domínguez, Director of Events and Incentives at the travel agency ECOTUR, recalled the visit that the leader of the Cuban Revolution paid to Viñales, in the province of Pinar del Río, where he championed the idea of implementing an agritourism reform as part of the nationwide land reform.

“Thus the necessary adjustments would be made in tourist sites to develop agricultural tourism”, he remarked. “Initially, the Commander considered the Viñales and Ancón Valleys to build cabins for the farmers which they could rent to tourists and arrange for amenities such as horseback riding in order to improve the local economy by generating additional tourism income”.

The official pointed out that the plan envisaged the provision of tourism education to farmers and the training of rural girls to embroider and weave souvenirs with criollo motifs.

The ideas of the eternal leader will be essential to this event organized by the Ibero-American Institute of Rural Tourism and the Cuban Ministry of Tourism.

With the theme “For Sustainable Community Development”, the 10th Ibero-American Meeting on Rural Tourism and Agritourism will address topics such as advances in agritourism, sustainable local tourism, communication and artificial intelligence in this sector, community inclusion, products, governance and marketing, and the contribution of agritourism to climate change mitigation.