Fourth Ibero-American Summit on Accessible Tourism wraps up in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 18 (ACN) The IV Ibero-American Summit on Accessible Tourism concluded today with the signing of the Havana Declaration, where Cuba publicly and officially expresses its willingness to collaborate in all actions that can lead to a truly accessible and inclusive tourism.

The event, which began on Wednesday, December 15 at Cuba's emblematic Hotel Nacional, closed the event and served as a space to announce Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, as the venue for the fifth edition of the Summit.

The event was attended by Manuel Marrero Cruz, Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, Juan Carlos García Granda, Minister of Tourism, directors of other ministries, together with representatives of participating organizations.

Marrero Cruz stated that Cuba has never made distinctions for its visitors because it is the vocation of the Revolution to eliminate all kinds of differences, and declared that the Summit reaffirms this desire and commits the nation to work in favor of tourism with equal opportunities for all people.

The Prime Minister also took advantage of the space to condemn the media war instigated by the United States, particularly the recent campaigns on the networks aimed at discrediting the quality of the tourist experience in Cuba and the sanitary protocols established in correspondence with the opening of borders.

During the ceremony, the president of the Ibero-American Network of Accessible Tourism, Diego Javier González, presented awards to Arona, a tourist destination belonging to the island of Tenerife in Spain, and the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, for their constant work of inclusion, the improvement of their facilities and the commitment of the staff with the quality of service.

In his speech, García Granda expressed his gratitude for the intense days of work in which it was possible to strengthen ties and share experiences, and affirmed that quality continues to be a higher goal, which is why evolving in terms of accessibility is no longer an option but a necessity.
The IV Ibero-American Summit on Accessible Tourism was structured by panels on accessibility around technology, nature and heritage, with the perspective of achieving a more inclusive, responsible and socially sustainable tourism from any field.