Holidaymakers flood Cuba

Holidaymakers flood Cuba

Havana, Cuba, January 31, - The influx of additional travellers to Cuban holiday destinations could be influenced by the Arab Spring, changes in U.S. policy and economic reforms in the country, what makes the current winter season one of the best ever for the travel industry of the island. The above is considered by some tourism experts who see that hotels are full than ever before and Old Havana, which is the capital's historical center, is teeming with holidaymakers from around the world, soaking up the warm winter sun in outdoor cafes and strolling through narrow colonial streets. "We are at capacity. The beach resorts, Havana city are totally full. In the interior of the country, there is nowhere to find a room, nowhere," said the manager of a foreign hotel company. According to official Cuban sources, the Caribbean Island has just completed its best year for tourism with 2.7 million holidaymakers in 2011, and specialists say current bookings suggest it will almost certainly beat that number in 2012. "I think 2012 will be a very good year and I see real difficulties in how to organize and manage all this in 2013 and 2014," said the head of a European travel agency's Havana office. The holiday industry is one of the main Cuba's economic sectors as it is a top hard currency earner for the cash-strapped Caribbean island, with revenues of about $2.3 billion in 2011. Besides the general growth reached in holidaymakers' arrivals, Canada is by far the biggest tourist market for Cuba, followed by UK, Spain and Italy, while countries such as Russia and Argentina has increased their numbers notably. It is indicative that this particular increment of tourists to Cuba, especially from Europe, coincides with the incidents in North Africa, as many of them who usually go there for a winter vacation are now looking elsewhere because of security concerns. Likewise, the political stability and lack of crime in tightly controlled Cuba are as attractive to them as the island's beautiful beaches. On the other hand, Cuban Americans have been flooding into Cuba since U.S. President Barack Obama lifted restrictions for them to travel to their homeland in 2009, but also the number of American visitors is climbing after Obama changed regulations in 2011, making it easier for non-Cuban Americans to travel to the Caribbean island. Around Havana, it has become more common to see Americans on the streets and in restaurants, although they are somewhat isolated from other holidaymakers because the new regulations require that they come as part of tours that are supposed to be educational and "purposeful," not recreational. Cuba's holiday industry is living a good moment as sales are good and profits are up, but the demand has put a spotlight on the need to expand and improve the tourist infrastructure, especially in the cities.

The Toronto Sun News posted on 2/1/2012 5:04:17 PM

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