Eduardo Rodriguez de la Vega. Cuba’s Vice Minister of Tourism

19 December 2003 6:00am

Q- How has Cuba’s leisure industry fared so far in 2003?

A- We’ve grown around 14 percent so far this year. That means we could reach 1.9 million visitors by the end of 2003. If we keep up this normal rate, we could then go back to the figures we chalked up in 2000. As you know, the last couple of years have been pretty tough for the world travel industry and Cuba has been no exception to the rule.

Q- Has this larger number of arrivals also had good repercussions on the recovery of prices?

A- That’s right. Revenues per tourist have also been on the rise and we haven’t put those numbers on the board by simply pushing down prices as other countries have done. That’s not our policy, because we think Cuba has a whole lot more to offer. We must start from a proper quality-price ratio.

Q- What European markets are staging a heftier comeback?

A- First of all, Italy with a mighty 23 percent, followed by Germany with 10 percent. Despite the fact that both nations are in double digits, for us the German rebound is far more important because that market has slipped dramatically elsewhere, yet it’s been up and around in Cuba.

Q- What about the Spanish market?

A- This market is not doing fine. We think there’s an economic problem because even though the country’s macroeconomic numbers are good, money is in short supply in certain sectors of the population. People over 50 years of age and those between 18 and 24 have slid deeper. These are the groups hit the hardest by economic and job problems because we’re talking about the retired and first-time workers. However, the number of women and children coming to Cuba is soaring, and the segment featuring people who are 25 and 44 years old is also on the rise. Nevertheless, these are not segments strong enough to make up for the meltdown of the other two sectors. Globally speaking, the Spanish market has taken a double-digit slide, but I’m confident things are going to turn around next year.

Q- Is Portugal growing as an emerging market?

A- Yes, it is, and in some major way.

Q- How’s the British market faring?

A- This is a market with a very unusual behavior because it didn’t even drop in 2001. It then grew 9 percent in 2002 and it’s going to leapfrog a searing 15 percent this year. Just to give an idea, the number of British travelers had spiked 14 percent until September, and it shot up 27 percent in October. Expectations for November and December are looking good and we hope to close the year with 120,000 Britons, a figure that makes this country the sixth sender of travelers to Cuba.

Q- How will the amount of flights from the U.K. increase?

A- For next year, we expect the U.K. to get beefed up as a sending market because we’re going to add 26,000 more plane seats for those travelers. For the summertime season, we’ll have a Britannia direct flight to Varadero, First Choice flying straight to Holguin and Thomas Cook putting an additional flight to Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria. By the end of 2004, My Travel will get its big break in Holguin. We’ve already negotiated with TUI for a new flight to Varadero, plus a First Choice flight to Havana and Cayo Largo. It also appears that both Virgin Atlantics and Virgin Holidays will also start flying to Cuba in 2004. Last but not least, Cubana de Aviacion will begin a London-Havana-Holguin connection in 2004.

Q- And what can you tell us about the latest hotel investments?

A- We’ve given top priority to foreign investment, letting investors have a bigger piece of the pie than before, and building joint ventures that help nudge up growth in terms of the number of rooms the country is going to have in coming years.

Q- Is Sun Kerzner going to open a hotel in Havana?

A- Yes, in a joint venture with Habaguanex. They are building the Saratoga Hotel, whose grand opening is going to be two years from now.

Q- Did Cuba win an award as the best island in the year 2003?

A- Absolutely. That’s an award granted by Travel Leisure magazine and we’re very proud of it.