Cuban tourism is up despite global economic problems. During the first months of 2010 both the revenues from the tourism sector and the visitors went up, according to the island’s tourism officials. The revenue rose 3.5 per cent to 1.3 billion dollars, while the number of tourists went up with 50,000, to 1.89 million persons through September.
It seems that Canadians are the ones who enjoy most Cuba, as it sends most of tourists to the island, respectively more than 730.000 in the first nine months of this year. Canada is followed by Great Britain, Italy, Spain and Germany.
Tourism in Cuba attracts over 2 million people a year, and is one of the main sources of revenue for the island. With its favorable climate, beaches, colonial architecture and distinct cultural history, Cuba has long been an attractive destination for tourists and focused on the sector since the mid 90’s.
Anyway, the country hasn’t been able to meet the projected growth, as it has had relatively little restoration and due in major part to the fact that many foreigners don’t feel secure investing in Cuba under its current regime.
Also, Cubans are still forbidden by the state from owning private property or participate in any development. That’s one reason why the neighbors from the Dominican Republic have surpassed Cuba in tourism, new development, and investment.
But wonderful beaches and very good touristic resorts, Havana, the cosmopolitan capital with a swinging nightlife, Vinales, a natural park with mountains and caves and best tourism facilities, as also World Heritage Site with charming, colonial-era buildings, Trinidad are for sure worth visiting against all the things that still trouble tourism in Cuba.
