Within the framework of Cuba’s 24th International Tourism Convention, Caribbean News Digital also made room for Flora & Fauna, given the entity’s major role in the development of nature tourism on the island. Flora & Fauna Deputy Director Loretta Garcia talks about the group’s outlay and new projects in the offing. She also refers to the widening of Flora & Fauna’s functions and to how proud they are of having Sancti Spiritu play host to 2004 TURNAT, penciled in as Cuba’s Nature Tourism event and scheduled to kick off in September. Mrs. Garcia says the event is raising some big expectations about the need to diversify Cuba’s tourist product.
From June 6 through 9 this year, Havana will host the first edition of the International Rum Festival. In an exclusive interview with Caribbean News Digital, Regla Jimenez, chairwoman of the Organizing Committee, explained the event will serve as a perfect setting for exchanges among distillers, distributors, retailers, barmen and friends from around the world linked in any way to the realm of rum and its culture. Mrs. Jimenez indicated as many as eight new Cuban-made rum brands will be unveiled to the international market after faring pretty well among domestic consumers: Cubay, Santiago, Mulata, Santero, Varadero, Caney , Legendario and Arechabala. Havana Club, the flagship brand of Cuban spirits that has made a name of its own in the world market, will claim its share of the limelight, too. The festival´s program includes a theoretical session to be attended by boldface names in the industry that will broach some major aspects, plus an international cocktail contest in the classical
In an exclusive interview during Cuba’s 24th International Tourism Convention, Jose Brichs Sala, corporate marketing director for Barceló, the Spain’s first-string hotel chain, speaks to Caribbean News Digital about the company’s expansion and strengthening in Latin America and the Caribbean. At the same time, Mr. Sala is really upbeat about tourism’s growing numbers around the world at a time when lots of countries are staging clear-cut comebacks in that field, including Germany, the region’s top tourist-sending market. Mr. Sala also touches on Barceló’s ongoing investment makeover in both the short and the long run. Last but not least, he talks about the partnership between Barceló and British group First Choice, and lets CND in on possible negotiations in the offing that will eventually benefit the company.
Within the framework of Cuba’s 24th International Tourism Convention, Mr. Riley talked exclusively with Caribbean News Digital about Guatemala’s lately tourism takeoff and pointed to CATA as the body that will help give the destination a strategic niche in the European market. He also referred to the possibilities of piecing together a joint strategy to further put Central America on the world travel map. Likewise, he mentioned some of the concerns and initiatives launched by the new Guatemalan administration in an effort to make the country’s leisure industry a major source of hard-currency money. Finally, he stressed on the need to combine endeavors –like the merger between Air Madrid and Aladatour- as a key factor in strengthening Central America’s stance as a travel destination.
In the fourth anniversary of Havana’s Rum Foundation, Stefano Oldrati, an executive from Havana Club International S.A. –a joint venture between Cuba and French company Pernod Ricard- talked exclusively to Caribbean News Digital about the firm’s goals and importance at a world level, its contribution to the island nation’s travel industry and marketing efforts worldwide to sell a top-notch Cuban spirit that ranks among the globe’s top three rum brands.
During his recent visit to Cuba to attend the International Tourism Fair in Varadero, Estuardo Molina, an in-depth connoisseur of his country’s tourism policies, talked exclusively with Caribbean News Digital about Guatemala’s promotional plans and projects in the world’s premier sending markets serving the Caribbean and Central America. In the same breath, Mr. Molina spelled out the basics of his country’s collaboration efforts with Cuba for the advertisement of the Mayan Beach Project, a multi-destination endeavor that combines the best of both nations’ beauties and charms.