Sustained Increase In Tourism to Cuba

Cuban Minister of Tourism Manuel Marrero, center, attends a fair during 2012. Travel to the revolutionary Caribbean island-nation has increased in the recent period., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Havana. May 9, 2012

International Tourism Fair 2012

Sustained increase in tourism to Cuba

• Argentina, Latin American country with most growth this year

Freddy Pérez Cabrera

CAIBARIEN.—Through April of 2012, the number of visitors to Cuba has grown by 5.2% in comparison with last year, as was announced during the opening of the 32nd International Tourism Fair, which initiated its sessions May 8 in Cayo Santa María, Villa Clara province.

Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz stated that a total of 1.24 million visitors traveled to Cuba from January through April.

The principal source countries are Canada and France, as well as Argentina, this last with a growth of 50%. Russia, Germany, Mexico, Holland, Colombia and Brazil are also showing sustained growth, Marrero noted.

He observed that this sustained development is due to Cuba’s interest in promoting more complete and comprehensive visits, including history, nature, culture, health and events as added options to traditional sun and beach vacations. This has resulted in a growing demand for this kind of tourism, particularly in national heritage cities.

In response to this demand, Marrero announced upcoming investments in Viñales, Santa Clara, Remedios, Cienfuegos, Bayamo, Camagüey, Ciego de Avila, Baracoa, Trinidad and Havana, to expand hotel capacity in these areas.

The Tourism Minister also noted that Cuba currently has a total of 128,626 rooms, 63% of which are located in four and five star hotels, reflecting the high degree of comfort in these facilities.

He added that this sustained increase has been paralleled by advances in civil aviation, with the upgrading in 2011 of Varadero Airport and Terminal 2 of the capital’s José Martí facility, while the runway of Santa Clara’s Abel Santamaría terminal is to be extended in order to receive large aircraft.


Havana. May 10, 2012

Terrorist attack in South Florida condemned

Organizations of Cuban-Americans in Miami have strongly condemned the terrorist attack committed April 27, in Coral Gables, against Airline Brokers, a travel agency specializing in charter flights to Cuba, and called for an end to U.S. government restrictions on travel to the country. The agency had recently made arrangements for a delegation of 300 people who traveled to Cuba to witness the Pope’s visit to the island.

The statement was signed by the Alianza Martiana, the Antonio Maceo Brigade, the José Martí Association, the Miami Bolivarian Circle, the Association of Christian Women in Defense of the Family, according to Prensa Latina, in addition to the Foundation for Normalization of US-Cuba Relations, the Cuban-American Defense League and the Socialist Workers Party, among other non-governmental groups which support the Cuban people.

"We regard this criminal action as a terrorist attack, not only against this company, but also against the right of all American citizens to travel to Cuba and, particularly, to share time with and to help their families," the statement said.

"Terrorist actions like this one violate democracy," added the text, which urges the U.S. government to lift all Cuba travel bans and calls on local and federal authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation that can lead to prosecution of the culprits.

"As long as terrorists walk the streets of Miami as free men, actions like this one will continue to be perpetrated by them or by others who think and act like them," the statement warned, emphasizing that those responsible must be found and appropriately punished so that acts such as this are not repeated in South Florida.

After pointing out that no member of Congress or any other elected state official has condemned the attack, the document adds that this must happen as soon as possible, since the situation is "truly disgraceful."

The fire at the travel agency, which occurred during the early morning hours, has been described as deliberate by authorities speaking to the local press, and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AFT), as well as the Coral Gables Fire Department.

The case has revived memories of the 1970’s and 80’s, when Miami suffered a rash of politically motivated arson attacks and car-bombings targeting those perceived as sympathetic to Cuba.

In January, 2011, the Obama administration slightly modified regulations limiting travel to Cuba, but has left untouched the economic and commercial blockade of Cuba imposed by the U.S. more than 50 years ago.