While the arrival of visitors to Cuba decreased by seven percent in the first quarter of this year, authorities of the sector reaffirm their optimism of reaching the record figure of five million vacationers at the end of the current calendar.
Michel Bernal, commercial director of the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur), informed the press that the fall in relation to the same stage of 2017 is due to the effects caused by Hurricane Irma, which hit the country last September.
The specialist explained that although the decision of many travelers influences the perception of the damage caused by the meteorological phenomenon, this destination recovered and now exhibits a renewed image in its hotel and recreational facilities, particularly in the northern keys.
According to Bernal, the optimism of the sector is based, precisely, on having this year a competitive tourism product compared to the Caribbean region.
He said that one of the objectives in the upcoming International Tourism Fair, to be held from May 2 to 5 in Cayo Santa María, and with the United Kingdom as a guest country, will be to polish the hiring for the winter 2018-2019, when It foresees a better behavior in the arrivals.
In the first three months Canada remains the leader in the issuance of vacationers, followed by Cubans living abroad, showing an increase of almost 21 percent over the previous year.
The list continues with American visitors, who because of the blockade imposed by their government can not travel to the island as tourists and whose arrivals decreased at the end of 2017 due to the passage of Irma, in addition to the restrictive measures promoted in September by the president Donald Trump.
Also influenced by travel alerts to Cuba, issued by the State Department after the alleged incidents that occurred in previous months in which officials of the US Embassy in Havana were implicated.
One million 52 thousand added the number of Cubans living in the United States and North Americans who arrived in the past calendar, ranking second to Canada in the registry of international visitors to the Caribbean country.
According to Bernal, during this period the European countries show favorable numbers: France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Last year Cuba filed the record figure of four million 689 thousand 898 foreign visitors and an increase of 16.2 percent, a remarkable result when the worldwide movement of tourists grows around four percent, the Mintur director estimated.
Michel Bernal, commercial director of the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur), informed the press that the fall in relation to the same stage of 2017 is due to the effects caused by Hurricane Irma, which hit the country last September.
The specialist explained that although the decision of many travelers influences the perception of the damage caused by the meteorological phenomenon, this destination recovered and now exhibits a renewed image in its hotel and recreational facilities, particularly in the northern keys.
According to Bernal, the optimism of the sector is based, precisely, on having this year a competitive tourism product compared to the Caribbean region.
He said that one of the objectives in the upcoming International Tourism Fair, to be held from May 2 to 5 in Cayo Santa María, and with the United Kingdom as a guest country, will be to polish the hiring for the winter 2018-2019, when It foresees a better behavior in the arrivals.
In the first three months Canada remains the leader in the issuance of vacationers, followed by Cubans living abroad, showing an increase of almost 21 percent over the previous year.
The list continues with American visitors, who because of the blockade imposed by their government can not travel to the island as tourists and whose arrivals decreased at the end of 2017 due to the passage of Irma, in addition to the restrictive measures promoted in September by the president Donald Trump.
Also influenced by travel alerts to Cuba, issued by the State Department after the alleged incidents that occurred in previous months in which officials of the US Embassy in Havana were implicated.
One million 52 thousand added the number of Cubans living in the United States and North Americans who arrived in the past calendar, ranking second to Canada in the registry of international visitors to the Caribbean country.
According to Bernal, during this period the European countries show favorable numbers: France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Last year Cuba filed the record figure of four million 689 thousand 898 foreign visitors and an increase of 16.2 percent, a remarkable result when the worldwide movement of tourists grows around four percent, the Mintur director estimated.
