Year 2016 - tourist visitors to Cuba were 13% higher than 2015. 2017 will see a dramatic increase in the number of visitors. Photo: Cuba Business Report staff
According to the official stats, four million tourists visited Cuba in 2016 and have contributed approximately $3 billion dollars to Cuban coffers. When compared to 2015, the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) has said this represents a 13% growth in tourism. The increase in the numbers is welcoming news at a time when the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined nearly 1 per cent over previous years. This was recently announced by Cuban President Raul Castro and Economy Minister Ricardo Cabrisas in Parliament. Tourism is the most dynamic sector of Cuba’s economy. The National Statistics and Information Office (ONEI) reported in 2015, the total income from tourism at $1.94 billion. In response to the rapid rise in the number of tourists to Cuba, Manuel Marrero Cruz, the island’s Minister of Tourism announced there are plans to construct an additional 108,000 new rooms by the year 2030 as part of the National Plan for Economic and Social Development. These plans not only include hotels and resorts, but also golf resorts and new marinas. An increase in the number of international airlines flying into the many airports on the Island has raised tourism stats. The reestablishment of direct commercial flights from the U.S. in 2016 was…
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