Authentic Cuba Campaign

More than one million tourists visited Cuba this year. As part of the development of this sector, will launch a new country image campaign, called Authentic Cuba. By Agnerys Rodríguez Gavilán This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it May 4, 2010 23:54:00 CDT Cuba received more than a million visitors between January and April 2010, and thereby achieves the highest quarter in the history of tourism in our country, reported Tuesday in Havana the Minister of the sector, Manuel Marrero Cruz. Although the 2010-abounded, not had a good start, with the implementation of a set of measures, recovery was achieved in March and April, closing with growth in the season and reaching the highest quarter in the history of Cuban tourism with a 1.053 million visitors. "The Ministry of Tourism, with support from the Government, is undergoing a process of improving our business, with renewed strategy for each of the traditional markets, emerging and developing markets", Marrero Cruz said ministers and deputy ministers ALBA counterparts, tour operators and representatives of travel agencies, airlines, hotel groups and tourism operators and national and foreign media accredited. As part of the improvement, a new country image campaign, called Authentic Cuba, and whose aim is to show to the world as we are, and how we do things, will shortly go around the world, standing out in our main markets and in those who are still virgins. "This strategy must be accompanied with a constant renovation, modernization and development of our hotel industry", said during his speech "Development Trends and Prospects in Tourism to Cuba", which on Tuesday marked the opening of the activities of the XXX International Tourism Fair, based these days in the Morro-Cabaña Complex, Ciudad de La Habana. "Cuba has continued to advance the development and implementation of tourism policy, despite the challenges imposed on us by climate change and increased competition, as well as the difficult economic environment in which we develop plus impossibility of  having access to 50 percent of Caribbean tourism market. " The development of tourism in Cuba has been among the most important and dynamic of the Americas and the Caribbean the last 20 years. In 1990 the country ranked 23 according to the number of international visitors received, and it has advanced to the ninth. Marrero Cruz said that Canada remains the largest source market of visitors to the island. It hasn't been the same, recognized, the behavior of the main European markets. "Causes are varied, but only Spain expresses growth. However, it decided to continue working hard, with more promotion and new strategies to recover this important market. " In our region, meant that Argentina is experiencing significant upward trend, while Colombia, Chile and Peru increased more and more potential. Significant untapped reserves we have in key markets such as Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico, for which we have prepared a very specific marketing strategy Countries such as Russia, the guest of honor in the current edition of International Tourism Fair, as well as China and India, remain a priority to work as developing markets. At another point in its conference, the Minister said that Cubans living abroad has become an important market and at the same time, "we developed a strategy for the domestic market which each day occupies a more prominent place." When asked about tourism from the United States, issue discussed at a recent meeting on US-Cuba travel held in Cancun, he said that, there is a ignorance of the potentialities of Cuba destination among U.S. professionals in this sector. In his view, this is due to the limitations of the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by successive U.S. administrations to the Island. Marrero Cruz said Cuba has, at this moment, some 50 000 rooms equipped to provide service to tourism. 65 percent of them four and five star category and in the next five years will grow by about 20 000 new rooms. Currently are progressing the construction of new hotels in Varadero, Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Coco, we are working intensively in the preparation of tourism development in several pristine keys in the northern region, and the construction of four major five-star luxury hotels in Guardalavaca, Cayo Coco, Varadero international sector and the City of Trinidad. In Trinidad itself, he said, conditions are created to accommodate the beginning of his first five-star hotel with 500 rooms on the beach of Ancon and three new facilities more. Cuba maintains its interest in the economic recovery facilities through the Encanto Hotel, five of them will be available very soon. Marrero disclosed that next Friday will be the opening of E Royalton Bayamo Hotel. Afterwards will come Barcelona, in the town of Remedios, Velazco in the historic center of Matanzas, Camino de Hierro in the historic center of Camaguey, and La Ronda has been renovated and will be ready in the historical center of Trinidad. Minister Marrero Cruz also talked about purposes of Cuba to improve the necessary infrastructure in Airports and Ports, and the strengthening of segments, such as the Promotion of Events. This year Cuba have held 75 events, many of them related to tourism, golf and water sports. Marrero recalled that next  May 10 will marks the 20th anniversary of the inauguration of the Hotel Sol Palmeras, under the management of Grupo Sol Melia. "With this Foreign Investment Group began the joint ventures in tourism sector in our country. There are now 66 hotels with 27,909 rooms managed and marketed by 13 international chains". "On the other hand, exists operating 5500 rooms under international economic associations and there are new projects and new investments under these arrangements." The Cuban Minister reaffirmed the commitment to continue developing a safe and high quality tourism for our visitors.