UNWTO Secretary General Attended Cuba Night at FITUR

Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the World Tourism Organization, and UNWTO representative for the Americas, Carlos Vogeler, attended the Cuba Night within the framework of the International Tourism Fair (FITUR 2014). Cuba’s Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero and the island nation’s ambassador to Spain, Eugenio Martinez, were also present.

Mr. Rifai praised Cuba for its outcomes in 2013 and underscored the perspectives for 2014 at a time when the Cuban government and people are involved in the development of travel and tourism. “My heart is in Cuba,” said Mr. Rifai was reported as saying, according to a note issued by the Cuban embassy in Spain.

Organized by Cuba’s Tourism Ministry and the Cuban embassy in Spain, the meeting with tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, businesspeople linked to the travel industry and media organizations provided the perfect backdrop for Mr. Marrero to augur far better results in the ongoing year for the hot Caribbean destination.

“Sun and beach will continue to be Cuba’s flagship product, but together with the country’s cultural and historic legacy,” Mr. Marrero said.

The Tourism Minister also referred to the private management, the addition of 7,000 guesthouses and hostels, plus 2,000 restaurants, to the local travel agencies’ offers.

As far as Spain is concerned, Mr. Marrero said the current economic rebound in the European nation is fostering a larger tourism inflow from that market, that amounted to 73,000 in 2013.