Quoted on Tuesday by Granma newspaper, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero emphasized the need for all local sectors to work together to that aim, as he assessed the sector’s performance in 2024 and its perspectives in 2025 at a meeting in Havana.
Referring to last year, he said tourism had to deal with the tightening of the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States Government.
He also mentioned the enforcement of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act and the media war against the sector, seeking to discredit Cuba as a destination, plus the inclusion of the country in the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
Against all odds, however, he stated the need to apply alternatives where no proactivity is seen.
Marrero called to incorporate and consolidate tourist spots, one of the country’s main attractions, and explore other methods to attract more visitors from the main markets, such as Canada, Russia and Latin America.
He stressed that the role of tourism advisors must be deepened, to expand the results in international promotion, as well as the need to cooperate with tour operators and revitalizing the image of tourism, offer more incentive to customers, achieve linkages, self-management and promote established products for the sector.
The Prime Minister pointed out that negative trends must be eliminated, internal control must be strengthened, and praised the essential relationship that must be maintained with the academy.
As he took the floor, Minister of Tourism of Cuba, Juan Carlos García, expounded on the sector’s projections, citing the aspiration to a higher quality in services and the competitiveness of the destination, diversifying markets, promoting multi-destinations, serving traditional markets such as Canada and Russia as a priority, and increasing air connectivity.
García noted demand should be encouraged by creating an alliance with Cuban airlines and to increase the involvement of the national industry to replace imports, thus generating productive chains.
He detailed that in 2024, two million 203 thousand 117 visitors arrived in Cuba, a 71 percent of the original plan and 90.4 percent of what was achieved in 2023. Among the main issuing markets, eight grew compared to the previous year, and five met the forecasts.
García added that 74 tourist facilities had been awarded with 132 international prizes.
Cuba is currently boasting nearly 30 thousand hotel rooms and 24 joint tourist ventures, out of which 14 are subject to investments or already operating.
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