Cuban Tourism Keeps Good Pace in 2014

HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 21 (acn) Two million travelers have visited Cuba so far this year, so its tourism goes at a brisk pace in its race for reaching for the first time three million international visitors.

From January to date, there was growth in tourist arrivals from Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Spain mainly, according to officials from the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR by its Spanish acronym).

Amid the complex international situation, Cuba destination shows a growing preference in the global arena; while it endorses MINTUR commitment of continue raising the quality of services, and diversify the national tourism product.

To achieve the expected results this year, commercial and communication actions were intensified since the beginning of the second semester both in markets with sustained growth, as in those of lower emissions, a MINTUR press release referred.

Those actions include the functioning of new hotel capacities in significant poles as Havana, Varadero, Coco Cay, Jardines del Rey and Holguin, MINTUR said.

In its latest report released on Tuesday, the National Bureau of Statistics and Information (ONEI by its Spanish acronym) said that from January to June 1 660 055 tourists arrived on Cuba, for an increase of 3.9 percent over the same period of 2013.

According to the note, accommodation, food and transport were the activities providing greater contribution (more than 1. 077 billion dollars).in the first half of the year.

As for tourists' emissions by region, the document points out that North America ranked first with 49.7 percent of the total, followed by the Caribbean (11), Western Europe (10.6), South America (8.3) and Southern Europe (6.4).

Canada maintains, with marked difference, its condition as first tourist emitter to Cuba, with 181 269 visitors in the first six months of the year; and is escorted by UK, Germany, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Venezuela, Russia, Argentina and Colombia.

Other interesting data published by ONEI show that the countries with highest growth in that period are Israel, Sweden, Venezuela, Portugal, Poland and the Philippines, non-traditional markets in tourists emitting to Cuba but with very dynamic rhythms.