Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, attends today the third day of the 42nd International Tourism Fair (FitCuba 2o24), accompanied by Manuel Marrero Cruz, Prime Minister, Juan Carlos García Granda, head of the sector and other leaders of the territory of Ciego de Avila.
The event, scheduled until May 5, is held at the destination of the central province of Ciego de Ávila, Jardines del Rey, which includes the Coco, Guillermo and Paredón keys.
The center today has 1,867 rooms and still has interesting plots for new developments, proof of this is the 1.8 percent growth in the level of visitors in 2023, compared to 2019. This year it increases by four percent in number of visitors compared to last year.
The event was attended by more than 670 professionals from different countries and 80 specialized journalists. The most representative markets present are Spain and Mexico, which have more than 100 attendees, followed by Colombia, Italy and Canada.
FITCuba 2024 takes place a few days before the 69th meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for the Americas, a space attended by 24 Ministers of Tourism from the member countries.
President of Cuba affirms that tourism is a source of development
The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, affirmed this Friday that tourism is a sector that generates development towards the rest of the country’s industries and business community.
In statements to the press regarding the 42nd International Tourism Fair, FITCuba 2024 (which runs until May 5), the president recalled that the considered locomotive of the Cuban economy has been developing there under very severe conditions.
First, because within the media intoxication of the empire there is an attack on tourism for income and in terms of economic development for our country.
The intensified blockade measures mainly oriented towards the smokeless industry are absurd, arrogant and perverse, among them, the prohibition of North American citizens from visiting the country, the closure of cruise services, he said.
He added that now they add manipulation with the ESTA visa for Europeans that prevents them from entering the United States if they visit Cuba.
We have evidence of pressure against financial, tourism and travel agencies, as well as airlines and suppliers, he assured.
This is in order to prevent the development of tourism under normal conditions.
In Díaz-Canel’s opinion, the US government is afraid of the well-being of Cuba, the economic development of Cuba enhanced by an industry with highly qualified people at international levels.
It also has to do with the country’s relations with international hotel chain groups that remain in Cuba despite pressure.
He noted that Meliá is one of the chains whose managers are prohibited from entering the United States. These are coercive measures, raising walls of pressure, and inconceivable for the better world that we all want.
Despite the difficulties, we have development prospects, there are potentials and the main one is natural beauty, our culture in the broadest sense is our people. It is a friendly town, which knows how to share with tourists who are open, sincere, honest, affable and affectionate, he considered.
In the opinion of the Cuban president, the next tourism fair, in addition to the provincial product, can be oriented toward community tourism and local tourism, which in turn becomes a source of autonomous and authentic development of the country’s communities.
Take advantage of the benefits offered by rural, city, ecological, historical, cultural and sun and beach offers.
This raises the quality of life of the communities and helps counteract media pressures.
(With information from ACN and PL)
