The most important tourist event of Cuba is at the gates of the fortress of La Cabaña. Between May 6 and 10 the 2014 FITCUBA bring together tour operators , airlines, travel agencies and hotel groups, with the aim of promoting national tourism , strengthen working relationships and identify new business opportunities.
Dalila Gonzalez, Director of Communication at the Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) explains that many companies take advantage of this space to organize the hiring of the next season and evaluate investment projects. “We have high expectations for the show, because always in that context initiatives arise that enriches our industry.”
France will have special importance as a guest country, and will bring a sample of its culture, cuisine, along with various entertainment activities. The French delegation includes the overseas territories of Martinique and Saint Martin. Fleur Pellerin, State Secretary for Foreign Trade and Tourism, will also give a lecture at the opening of the meeting. Also training centers for tourism professionals are expected to attend. Such is the case of the Tyrell Guilleme Institute, which will establish talks with its Cuban counterpart, Formatur.
According to information provided by the Economic Service of the French Embassy in Havana, the companies Air France, Accor (lodgement), Orange, Alcatel-Lucent (telecommunications), Bouygues (construction), and Devexport (imports / exports) will be present. Last year 96 640 French people traveled to Cuba (3.4 percent of arrivals) and bilateral trade increased 6.2 percent over 2012.
FITCUBA 2014 will be dedicated to Havana as a destination, and city tours modality. Combining methods of sun and beach, culture, city and nature, plus the elongated geography of the island, become potential to promote this product yet diversify the Cuban tourist proposal.
“We tend to say, and this is recognized by our partners and customers, that Cuba is a multi-destination, Gonzalez says. That means it contains in itself a variety of services and recreational opportunities. “Here excel heritage villas that are turning 500 years old: Bayamo, Camagüey, Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, in 2015, and the capital itself, in 2019.
Cooperatives and self-employed people related to tourism will also participate in the event, where they will show their experience primarily in restaurants, cafes and lodging houses. “The new management forms are an important complement, add much value to the tourism we have. We are fostering a dialogue where we can meet all players in this area. In fact, the non-state sector is also included in our promotional campaign Authentic Cuba “the official Ministry of Tourism says.
All entities related to tourism in the country will take part in the Fair, including foreign partners operating management contracts or joint ventures; accompanied this time by the Cuban Fund of Cultural Goods and Medical Services of Cuba.
The event will host representatives from more than 50 countries: standing out among them are Canada, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Russia, France and Spain, UK, Italy, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama and Nicaragua. Planned activities include academic exchanges, commercial activities and a presentation of Taleb Rafai, secretary general of the World Tourism Organization (WTO).
The new Foreign Investment Law and the Special Area Development Mariel have among their priorities the development of tourism. In this sense, FITCUBA is an enabling stage to channel projects with foreign capital. So far MINTUR proposed a package that includes hotel construction, real estate associated with golf courses, recreational parks, marinas, hotel management contracts and marketing, and franchises of recognized Cuban restaurants abroad.
Varadero, Havana city, Jardines del Rey, north of Camaguey and Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, Central and South Coast and the Canarreos Archipelago are considered the best Cubans regions in terms of tourism.
Author
Eileen Sosin Martínez
