• Submitted by: manso
• Travel and Tourism
• 01 / 22 / 2011

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HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 21 (acn) Cuba announced in Madrid that about 2.7 million foreign visitors are expected to come to Cuba this year, as part of an ambitious project of the Cuban tourist industry, which expanded 4.2 % in 2010, reports www.cubasi.cu.

Commercial manager from the Cuban Tourism Ministry (MINTUR by its Spanish acronym) Jose Manuel Bisbe noted that 2010 recorded good results in this sector, in spite of the complex current situation worldwide, with more than 2 530 000 foreign visitors. 

Bisbe, who is participating at the 31 International Tourism Fair (FITUR), in Madrid, pointed out that growing more than 8 % will mean to receive 200 000 more visitors than the previous year. 

He mentioned that Cuba is working on the incorporation of new hotel rooms in Cayo Santa Maria, in the central province of Villa Clara, and on the restoration of tourist facilities in the city of Havana, Varadero, Cayo Coco, and Holguin.

Bisbe mentioned that there are important works underway in the tourist infrastructure of world heritage sites like Old Havana, Trinidad, Remedios, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Santiago de Cuba, and Baracoa. 

He added that the Cuban government is making efforts to improve the quality of the services, and it is working on the creation of new programs related to the Spanish presence in Cuba. 

Another project is that of cruisers arriving to the Cuban coasts since last November, with the docking of the Gemini Ship that belongs to the Spanish Group Quail Travel. 

Bisbe also pointed out that participating in FITUR is very important for Cuba given that many tour operators from the whole world working in the Caribbean attend this fair to meet with tourist agencies of the area.ACN.