By
In 2019, both events meant
To reverse the situation, the industry has set its sights on
"Our main market is the domestic market, that of Cuban tourism. It grew much more than 10 percent in 2019 and increases every year,"
With more than 1.4 million annual visits, according to the official,
Authorities have decided to boost tourism to this heritage jewel listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, and plan to increase the number of available rooms from 3,945 to 22,276 over the next decade.
The ambitious goal is still on the ministry's agenda despite the fact
The tourism sector will continue to target foreign travelers but also wealthy Cubans from
"I have to tell you that a lot of national tourism is geared towards four and five-star hotels," Rendón told Efe.
Years ago it was unthinkable that in a country where the average salary is about
But
A wave of new entrepreneurs and freelancers has become a key economic boost since ex-governor
But domestic tourism alone cannot revive the key sector so
Russian tourism in
As in previous years,
Last year the Trump administration linked
Sanctions included a prohibition of travel by cruise ships, yachts and private airplanes and an embargo on access to internet search engines.
The move caused a drop of 5.2 percent in US arrivals to
Later that year all regular flights from the US to
By 2020 the same measure was rolled out to include charter flights and the volume of tourists from North American to the country is expected to continue to plummet.
The collapse of giant
One of the ports most frequented by
The emblematic Jagua hotel (managed by Meliá Hotels), founded in 1959, also known as the pearl of the south has taken a huge hit from the tourist dip.
While in January of last year 63 percent of its rooms were occupied, in early 2020 barely any customers can be seen by the bar or pool.
"This year, after the withdrawal of American operations and the bankruptcy of
"A new projection towards the internal market" became necessary, she added.
For the first time in six decades, special Christmas offers were launched especially for Cubans, which have been extended to January and February.
"The national customer is a quiet customer, who comes to walk the city, the historic center," she said. EFE
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