Escambray ENGLISH EDITION
The Caguanes and Topes de Collantes National Parks along with other protected areas with significant biodiversity and rich landscape gives Sancti Spiritus unquestionable potential for nature tourism.
Reiner Rendon Fernandez, delegate of the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) in the territory, highlighted the progress of this modality in Caguanes, seen by the local Enterprise for Flora and Wildlife Protection, the Gaviota Group and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.
“With the Caguanes National Park, Yaguajay (a northern municipality) has immense potential, said Rendon. The development plan is already made, but we must speed up things. We can find there magnificent trails that are highly praised. Yaguajay was one of the venues of Nature Tourism Event in September 2011, and was warmly welcomed. ”
“We have Caguanes Keys, which is managed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA); Cayo de Piedra (Stone Keys) is also very promising, we are working with Gaviota on that sense”, stressed the official.
The Local Enterprise for Flora and Wildlife Protection is our key support in the development of nature tourism in the northern territory, mainly in the Jobo Rosado Protected Area of managed resources, with strongly demanded paths among which outstand La Solapa de Genaro.
According to Rendon this and other trails in the north zone are categorized by the National Commission of Nature Tourism. The tourism leader acknowledges Yaguajay strategic location, close to the tourist destinations in the north of Villa Clara and Ciego de Avila. This enables the increase of foreign visitors arriving to enjoy the beauty of the landscapes and of the flora and fauna of the region.
“We can count in present times with a significant number of tourists in this area, so we must increase the actions of marketing and product definition being displayed there,” said the official.
Nature tourism is gradually resizing in the province of Sancti Spiritus, in the interest of diversifying the sector offers in the territory, a strategy that reflects the implementation of the Economic and Social Policy Guidelines for the Party and the Revolution., approved at the Sixth Congress of the organization on April 2011.
In words of Reiner Rendon, the diversification of tourism not only rests in the sun and sand offers or in the classic circuits currently marketed in the region.
“The province has a great potential in this type of tourism, I would even say that today we have a strong development if we consider the boost given by Gaviota SA Group in Topes de Collantes “, he added.
There are considerable reserves in the Valley of the Sugar Mills, in the municipality of Trinidad, where rural tourism and heritage will be linked. According to the delegate of MINTUR some steps have already been taken, but the exploitation of this vast area, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, will be greater when the recovery process of the estate houses (formerly associated with the development of the sugar production) is completed.
“Likewise, other potentialities are being explored in Sancti Spiritus by the local Enterprise for Flora and Wildlife Protection, he added; Fomento has great places for nature tourism, linked to historical tourism “.
The path Banao-Sabina, in the center of the province, indicates how far we can get in enhancing the offer. “This product is consolidated,and it brings a permanent flow of customers arrivals, with very good levels of satisfaction,” said Rendon.
Every achievement must be looked at through the prism of nonconformity, as expressed by Rendon Fernandez. The system of the Ministry of Tourism in Sancti Spiritus is aware of the importance of currency reception for the Cuban economy.
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