Madrid/The announcement of visa exemption for Chinese citizens made by the Minister of Tourism, Juan Carlos García Granda, at the closing of FitCuba 2024 has had an immediate effect, according to the official Chinese press. Searches for vacation packages to the Island increased 40% on the eastern giant’s platforms compared to the previous day, Ctrip said this Sunday Global Timeslinked to the official People’s Daily.
The combinations with keywords such as hotels and flights to Cuba were noticed just half an hour after the news was broadcast, the media maintains, which adds information about the profile of interested parties. Residents in Beijing, Shanghai and provinces such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Fujian were the most enthusiastic. Although the news cannot be independently verified, the information appears among the most read articles in the Global Times.
The new rule, released in a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has the objective of “promoting tourism, facilitating the flow of travelers and continuing to promote relations of friendship and cooperation” with the country. Those who want to enter or transit through the Island, in addition to staying there for periods of less than 90 days, will be exempt from applying for a visa.
For Chinese citizens who come to work, study (including courses organized by official entities), reside, do news reporting or engage in other different activities, it will be necessary to apply for the relevant visa.
There will be, for the moment, no reciprocity on the part of Beijing, as the majority of Cubans already demand.
The ministry insists that the “facility will undoubtedly contribute to the promotion of exchanges between the people of both countries,” but the Chinese press has highlighted from the headlines that the decision is “unilateral.” There will be, for the moment, no reciprocity on the part of Beijing, as the majority of Cubans are already demanding in response to the Foreign Ministry’s announcement.
“China should do the same with us, as a sign of friendship and brotherhood between peoples,” asked a reader in Cubadebate, which released the official communication. “Do you know what you are asking for? China is filled with Cubans inventing there,” responds another.
Cuba had set its sights on Chinese tourists in recent years, especially as visits from Europeans, who were traditionally a large contributor to the total numbers, have declined. The Chinese market is highly desired by the major tourism powers, since it provides a huge eventual number of travelers and because they spend a lot. The International Tourism Organization (ILO) published a report in 2019 according to which the Chinese spent a total of $277 billion on their trips abroad, almost double that of the Americans, second in the world. rankingwith 144,000 million.
The affinity with the Beijing Government has facilitated Cuba’s landing in that segment in recent months. Although China still does not bring a large number of tourists to the Island, the figure is growing at a good pace: in 2023, 3,659 travelers from that country arrived, compared to 2,949, a 24% increase. The number is still small, but taking into account that there were no direct flights, the margin for improvement will be large starting next May 17, when the Beijing-Havana Air China route reopens.
The price of these flights can be around 8,200 yuan ($1,132) one way, and 5,700 yuan return.
The price of these flights can be around, says the Qunar travel platform, 8,200 yuan ($1,132) for the one way, and 5,700 yuan for the return, and there are two weekly frequencies.
In addition, there is an alternative since April 28, the route with a stopover in Madrid, described as the longest in the world by the local press, with 17,500 kilometers and 23 hours 20 minutes of travel.
Global Times has consulted with several experts about the impact of the measure. Song Wei, professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at the Beijing Foreign Studies University, affirms that “improving connectivity and strengthening its integration into global value chains” is crucial for the development of Cuba, like other countries that Due to their size and insularity, they are more dependent. The resumption of flights represents, for the academic, progress between the relations of both countries, but also when it comes to promoting South-South cooperation and “mitigating the impact of the US embargo.”
Song believes that it is important for Latin American countries to “free themselves from the economic hegemony of the United States and seek more partnerships for their own economic development,” which also allows for their political and economic independence.
Pan Deng, director of the Law Center of the Latin American and Caribbean Region of the University of Political Science and Law of China, affirms that there is intention on the part of Beijing to cooperate with Cuba with regard to industry and trade, for which the visa exemption opens up avenues beyond those of tourist travel.
The Cuban authorities have insisted on selling themselves in the large Asian market, as demonstrated by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero’s trip to China in November 2023. There, he gave an interview in which he announced more trivial details from a cruise ship and a Chinese hotel, such as the inclusion of electric jugs to boil water in hotel rooms, so that guests of the Asian giant can drink it hot, according to your custom.
“China is an independent, free country, and I believe it allows us to really do our job”
The Minister of Tourism, in an interview this Sunday with the Xinhua agency, insisted on this route and also announced that trips with cultural content will be promoted, beyond the traditional sun and beach, to which travelers from other countries are more reluctant. That country. “We can teach a lot of history and a lot of culture. Tourism, in addition to being a factor that boosts the economy, also transmits a lot of teaching,” said García Granda.
“China is an independent, free country, and I believe that it really allows us to do our work, create products and compete with quality so that more and more Chinese visit our country,” comments the minister, who maintains that the Island is prepared to compete. in quality and offers with other countries in the region.
Enthusiastic about the collaboration, the official Chinese press does not at any time warn citizens of the shortcomings suffered by travelers on the Island, a measure that the Canadian Government has taken since October 2023. Ottawa warns its nationals, Cuba’s first tourist market, of the lack of medicines and food in the country, although, for now, the alert has not made an impact on Canadian travel.
Tourism in Cuba has still not recovered since it reached its record in 2018, with 4.68 million international travelers. By 2024, and after the end of the health alert has not led to a recovery of pre-pandemic data (4.3 million in 2019), it is expected to reach a goal of 3.2 million travelers who, with data from the first trimester is starting to be in danger.
