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Havana, (Prensa Latina) Detailed information by Cuban Minister of Tourism, Manuel Marrero, disclosed why tourism is the growing spiral of this industry in the Island,despite the hard impact of the global economic crisis.

Cuba's recreational industry is consolidated nowadays, and grows,notwithstanding the world economic and financial crisis, Marrero asserted, uponopening in Havana the XXX International Tourism Fair FITCUBA 2010 (May 3-8), in front of some two thousand participants from 30 countries.

In his report, entitled Tendencies and prospects of tourism development in Cuba destination, he stood out a growing support of the world investment community when May 10 will mark the 20th anniversary since Sol Palmera Hotel was opened under the management of Spanish group Sol Meliá.

At that time, foreign investment related to this sector started in Cuba and there are already 66 hotels with 27 thousand 909 rooms managed and commercialized by 13 international chains, he said.

Plus, he stated, there are five thousand 500 rooms in operation with international economic associations, while new projects and investments under this modality are getting ready.

The spirals keeps on going up

The minister pointed out that this Island, because of its values, is a place where staying turns into pleasant memories due to the conversion of what is colonial and modern into contrasting nature, excellent beaches and capes,seabeds and syncretic culture.

However, he stressed as one of the main causes for foreigners to spend vacations in Cuba the values of a charismatic and hospitable people.

He said that although Cuba does not have access to 50 percent of the Caribbean tourism market (in reference to the United States), it has registered development in this industry in the last 20 years, and has become one of the most important and dynamic markets in the Americas and the Caribbean itself.

He affirmed that, in 1990, the country held place 23 in the region regarding the number of foreign visitors received; whereas, at present, it appears in the ninth position.

Twenty years ago, 340 thousand foreign tourists arrived in the country, and for the last six years, consecutively, the figure has outdone two million.

Moreover,the number of tourists coming from more than 70 countries has reached 29 million in the last two decades.

Canada keeps on being the first sender of travelers to this country with nearly one million people a year, and, concerning the other markets, Spain is the only one showing growth.

Argentina shows a significant growing trend, while Colombia, Chile and Peru are growing at a time, though the minister deemed Brazil, Venezuela and Mexico important and still not fully exploited.

He mentioned Cuban émigrés as a segment growing in importance and said that strategies for all these markets are under preparation.

By Roberto F. Campos
Source: http://tinyurl.com/2bhktqf

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