Wilmar CastroVenezuela´s Tourism Minister

Mr. Castro is also the president of Conviasa Airlines and has had a say in Venezuela´s negotiations with its international partners. He headed his country´s delegation to the talks on the Free Trade Zone for the Americas.

In an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital during his visit to Cuba´s International Tourism Fair, Mr. Castro talked about the goals that will guide Venezuelan travel industry to safe port in coming years, as well as some projects in store with Cuba´s leisure sector.

By Maria Caridad Gonzalez

CND: Mr. Castro, what products is Venezuela going to present in the world market as part of this development stage the country has just begun?

WC: As you´ve just said, we´re at the onset of an all-embracing effort to advance Venezuela´s travel industry, so we´re trying to put experiences together and present Venezuela as a travel destination where the concepts of ecology and sustainability march hand in hand. Yet, these concepts are not to be looked at solely from a nature-friendly viewpoint, but also as a proposal and a vision of sustainable social and economic development.

Of course, as a travel destination Venezuela hinges on two basic ingredients: nature and sun-and-sand, especially the former because our country is blessed with huge natural reserves that are part of the nation´s scenery heritage.

We´ll also be counting on our cultural values and a multitude of artistic expressions. Last but not least, we can´t forget one particular element that makes our nation whole: its people. Venezuelans are human beings marked by a half-breed nature that constitutes one of our most luring factors.

Venezuela´s historic heritage is another key factor that cannot be ruled out because it´s closely linked to the concept and meaning of freedom.

CND: What markets are seen as part of your country´s tourist development?

WC: We´re deeply interested in the European market, chiefly in Germany, Netherlands, Spain and the U.K. In the case of South America, by and large our premier outbound market, we want to home in on Colombia, Argentina and Brazil. We´re also drawing a bead on the U.S. market, mainly up north, and Canada. We´ve got plans to work with the Caribbean due to our geographical proximity.

CND: Do you view a multi-destination tourism Project between Cuba and Venezuela as a plausible alternative?

WC: It´s likely. As we speak, we´re weighing some administrative decisions to pull that project off. We´re even considering the possibility of putting the Venezuelan currency in circulation in Cuba.

We strongly feel that Cuba could be the perfect complement to any travel project in Venezuela. Cuba could guarantee the sun-and-sand segment, while we could contribute the nature, especially in the Andean, Amazonian and Caribbean regions. We also give props to Cuba´s cultural values, its music, its cuisine, the fine arts. We believe all those elements could play quite a role in any travel alliance between Cuba and Venezuela.

CND: What other positive elements of Cuba´s tourist development you´ve taken into account to launch the Venezuelan travel project?

WC: We´re carefully looking at the good things and bad things that have exerted an influence on the area´s travel development. We just don´t want to make the same mistakes.

In the case of Cuba, we think its achievements in staff training and the development of human resources must be followed closely. Another of Cuba´s major achievements is the management and administration of tourism infrastructure, as well as the international marketing of Cuba as a travel destination.

CND: Is Venezuela a safe country for tourists?

WC: We´ve been bombarded with plenty of negative propaganda, especially in recent times, after the new government came to office. Yes, Venezuela is a safe country for tourists. Our nation has made significant headway as it has steered into heftier political stability. Safety and security have been beefed up in every sense, based on a hands-off policy that shuns the social problems that still hit Venezuela hard, but that we´ll surely do away with little by little. These problems don´t have to affect visitors. Venezuela is today one of the Caribbean´s safest travel destinations.

CND: What message will you send to those potential visitors interested in traveling to your country?

WC: We invite them to visit Venezuela and they won´t regret it. They´ll enjoy lavish nature, the hospitality of the Venezuelan people, they´ll know about our traditions and they´ll take a firsthand look at the favorable changes our administration has implemented. Venezuela is going through an unprecedented political process that has made the whole country bloom. Our reality is a far cry from what the world news media try to portray. The heart of the matter is those forces can´t stand the revolutionary process our country is undergoing right now.