Tourism in Cuba, More than Forecastings

Many Cubans feel tourism like a distant issue. It is an indifferent subject even for many others due to their scanty wages, which must be used in other daily affairs. Nevertheless, when analyzed from the nation’s point of view, tourism turns to be a way to raise fresh foreign currency.

By Enrique Ojito Linares

Many Cubans feel tourism like a distant issue. It is an indifferent subject even for many others due to their scanty wages, which must be used in other daily affairs. Nevertheless, when analyzed from the nation’s point of view, tourism turns to be a way to raise fresh foreign currency.  It turns to be economic survival.

That is why the Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the 6^th Congress of the Party and the Revolution passed last April, didn’t refrain from talking about the need to foster those areas which could dynamise the state’s funds.

That is why the Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy of the 6^th Congress of the Party and the Revolution passed last April, didn’t refrain from talking about the need to foster those areas which could dynamise the state’s funds.

In accordance with such perspective, repairs and investments were encouraged this year in Sancti Spiritus in order to improve the tourism business in the area.

To begin with, several rooms were restored or remodeled in Ancon, Costasur and Brisas Trinidad del Mar hotels. The furniture and kitchen appliances were renewed as well.

Other resorts repaired were Trinidad’s Ma. Dolores farm and Yaguajay’s San Jose del Lago, which hosted the International Meeting of Nature Tourism TURNAT 2011 last September.

Several of the rooms in Zaza hotel and Rancho Hatuey were remodeled. Likewise, a new grillroom was opened in Villa Los Laureles.

The 17-room La Ronda hotel will be soon reopened in Trinidad to be run by the Encanto brand (E).

Since nearly the 60 per cent of the tourists who visit the territory come under the so-called circuit modality, Palmares SA Business Group intends to keep its facilities in good shape. That is the case of Trinidad Colonial restaurant and the Valley of the Sugar Mills, where a new country house is to be built.

The complete restoration of the four rooms annexed to Meson del Regidor restaurant, in Trinidad, is also worth mentioning. These rooms had been damaged due to Dennis hurricane in 2005.

As far as investments is concerned, the construction of Sancti Spiritus’s second five-star hotel (Pansea) will begin this year.

The renovation of both the hotel and extra-hotel network eases the way to the improvement of local tourism’s competitiveness in the market. Forecastings on the subject are major indeed. But today I’ve just referred to realities.