Arrival of a British cruise ship revives tourism in Havana by the end of the year

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 29(ACN) Havana is reviving at the end of the year with the arrival of a British cruise ship with almost half a thousand tourists, in the second of the four visits planned to the island by that vessel.
The vacationers arrived on the ship Marella Explorer 2, belonging to Marella Cruises Restricted, of the TUI Group, and immediately spread out through the streets of the city, which last November celebrated its 504th anniversary.
Just a week ago, in a parliamentary session, it was reported that tourism, the island's main economic sector after the export of medical services, received just over 2,450,000 visitors this year, a figure that was 30 % below the 3.5 million expected.
According to deputy prime minister and head of economy and planning, Alejandro Gil, that number of visitors represents a 50 percent growth compared to 2022, but only 64 percent of what was achieved in 2019, in the period prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gil explained that for the coming year, 3,100,000 visitors are planned to visit the island, 27 percent more compared to the 2023 estimate, and a 29 percent increase in the sector's income.
Cuban authorities stated that among the main commercial actions to increase tourist arrivals are the insertion of new tour operators, the increase in online sales, the growth of participation in trade fairs and commercial exchanges and the implementation of actions focused on the circular economy.