Alejandro Escobar Burgos. President of Gran Caribe

Q- What expectations does Gran Caribe harbor for the upcoming wintertime season?

<i> A- It seems to me they’re going to be pretty good, especially given the current trends in the markets. We hope to achieve good results with trippers from Canada, Italy and Germany. Prospects for this season are definitely looking good. </i>

Q- Do you think it’ll be as good as or even better than 2002?

<i> A- We expect it to be better off. </i>

Q- What new stuff does Gran Caribe have in store for this winter?

<i> A- We’ve got plans to open the Barceló Cayo Largo Hotel in December. Indeed, it was opened last year, but a hurricane forced us to put off the grand opening. </i>

Q- Is this Gran Caribe’s second hotel with Barceló?

<i> A- That’s right. Varadero’s Solymar Hotel came first. </i>

Q- How many hotels does Gran Caribe own right now?

<i> A- We’ve got 47 facilities, and 41 of them are hotels. We also run the Tropicana Cabaret’s nightclubs in Havana, Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba, plus La Bodeguita del Medio and El Floridita restaurants. </i>

Q- How has this year fared for your company?

<i> A- This has been a good year, and we’re bouncing back from the dire straits the tourist industry went through both in Cuba and elsewhere as a result of the 9/11 terror attacks. We’ve set all conditions for a much heftier growth. </i>

Q- What markets have you dealt with the most this year?

<i> A- Canada and Italy are by far our two top markets. Canada’s had a less seasonal behavior than in previous years, especially because we’re working on new segments and areas. And that’s very important because this is a huge market we’re talking about, a market that generates a considerable chunk of our earnings. For its part, Italy’s done fairly well. </i>

Q- Is the Gran Caribe president pleased?

<i> A- I’m happy and very upbeat for what we’re doing and for what we can achieve. </i>